USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 8
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In your paper of this morning, you inquire the origin of the name of Wood Coun- ty. It was probably named after Col. Wood, of tne engineers, in the U. S. Army, who was kil- led at Fort Erie. He was a very distinguished man-was the principal engineer in Gen. Harri- son's army, in the campaign of 1813, and plan- ned the celebrated sortie, which was so success- ful, so far as the plan was pursued, and the or- ders of the Commander-in-Chief obeyed, and so disastrous in the end, in consequence of a de- parture from those orders. In 1814,he was with the army of Gen. Brown, in the brilliant cam- paign on the Niagara, and was conspicuous In all the leading cvents. He was killed in the sortie from Fort Erie, towards the close of that campaign. His reputation was very high. Few men of his age and rank stood so well with the army and the country; and his premature fall was greatly lamented. He was well known to all the leading men of Ohio, of that day, and he served with many of them in the N. W. Ar- my, and they would have been very apt to per- petuate his name by attaching it to the soil.
ONE OF YOUR READERS.
C. CIST.
French Literature.
I regret to see advertised, by book-sellers as respectable as Desilver and Burr, of our city, a French periodical " L'Echo des Feuilletons," of which I ask and will accept nothing further as evidence of its character than that the infamous Madame George Sand is announced as one of the contributors. This woman, in whom an im- moral life well illustrates immoral principles,has done more to corrupt the youth of Paris, at the present day, than any one of her cotemporaries. If the 40,000 subscribers in that city attest the general corruption of morals there, and 9000 more in our own country, expose their families to the same influence, it is sufficiently to be de- plored. For myself, as the conductor of a peri- odical. I lift the warning voice to caution my readers how they suffer the writings of Madame
"Good morning,' said a good- looking coun- tryman to me. 'What is wheat worth now ?' 'About 65 cents, I believe,' was my reply, won- dering at the same time why I should be appeal- ed to for the statistics of the grain market .-- .Well, said my querist, 'if we should elect Mr. Clay this fall, I am in hopes I shall get a better price for it. I was silent, not wishing to enter into politics with a stranger, and in the street. But he would not let me off. 'What do you think ?' said he. I observed that I thought the Presidential election had nothing to do with the | Sand, and her kindred spirits of evil, to enter
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their families under the seductive plea " that be- [ As Hamlet says, dere more in our philosiones ing led on unconsciously by the charms of the dan dare is in de heaven or de earth! Our mut- ter Naire is so fond to hider face! But von adept, so as me, can lifet up her whale"'-Hood. subject, they will, nnawares, make rapid progress in the language." Rather, I apprehend, to make rapid progress in losing that delicacy and purity The Right Hon. T. E. Macaulay, Mem- ber of Parliament. which is the pride and glory of American wo- men.
Animal Magnetism.
She was a fine strapping young woman enough, dressed half and half between a fine lady and a servant maid; but as sly looking a baggage as you could select from an assortment of gipsics, and, unless her face belied her, quite capable of scratching a Cocklane ghost. Indeed something came across me that I had seen her before ; and if my memory don't deceive me, it was at some private theatricals contrary to law. For certain she could keep her countenance ; for if the outlandish figure of a doctor, with his queer tace, had postured, aud pawed, and poked towards me, with his fingers, for all the world like the old game of "My grandmother sends you a staff, and you are neither to smile nor to laugh," as he did to her, I should have burst to a dead certainty, instead of going off, as she did into an easy sleep. As soon as she was sound the Count turned round to me, with his broken English-
'Ladies and gentlemen,' says he, 'look here at dis young maidens, Mizz Charlot Ann Ellz ibet Martin'-for that is his way of talking-'wid my magnetismuses I tro her into von state ot som bamboozleism"-or something to that effect, Mizz Charlot Ann, don att a shp.'
'As fast as a church, Mister Count,' says she, talking and hearing as easy as broad awake.
'Ferry good,' says he. Now, I take dis boke .- Missis Glasse Cokery- and 1 sall make the maidens read some little ot him wid her back. Dere he is bytween her shoulder. Mizz Charlot Ann, what you sce now mit your eyes turned de wrong way for to iook ?'
'Why then,' says she, 'Mr. Count, I see quite plain a T. and an O. Then comes R. and O and S, and T; and the next word is H, and A and I, and R.'
'Ferry goot,' cries the Count over again .-- Dad is to rost de hare. Ladies and gentlemen, you all hear? As Gott is my shudge, so is here in de boke. Now, den, Mizz Charlot Ann, vons more. Vot you taste in your mouse ?'
"Why, then, master,' says Charlotte Ann, 'as sure as fate, I taste sweet herbs chopped up small !'
'Very goot, indeed ! but vot more by sides de sweet herrubs?' 'Why,' says she, 'its a relish,a salt and pepper, and mace -- and let me see- there's flavor of currant jelly.'
'Besser and besser,' cries the Count. Ladies and gentlemen, are not dese vonderfools? You shall sec every wort of it in the print. Mizz Charlott Ann, vot you feel now ?
'Lawk-a. mercy, Mister Count,' says she, there's a sort of stuffy feel, so there is, in my inside !'
.Yaw! like von fool pelly! Ferry goot! Now you feel vot ?' 'Feel! Mr. Count,' said she Why I don't feel nothing at all the stuffines is clean gone away !'
THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY is the son of Zacharia Macaulay, well known as the friend of Wilberforce, and though himself an African Merchant, one of the most ardent abolitionists of slavery. In 1818, T. B. Macaulay became a member of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his Bachelor's degree in 1822. He dis- tinguished himselfas a student, having obtained a scholarship, twice gained the chancellor's medal for English verse, and also gained the second Craven Scholarship, the highest honors to classics which the University confers. Owing to his dislike of mathematics, he did not com- pete for honors at graduation, but nevertheless he obtained a fellowship at the October compe- tition open to graduates of Trinity, which he appears to have resigned before his subsequent departure for India. He devoted much of his time to the "Union" Debating Society, where he was reckoned an eloquent speaker.
Mr. Macaulay studied at Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the bar in 1826. In the same ycar, his "Essays on Milton" appeared in the Edinburgh Review; and out of Lord (then Mr.) Jeffrey's administration of that paper, arosc, an intimate friendship. Macaulay visiting Scot- land soon afterwards, went to circuit with Mr. Jeffrey. His connection with the Edinburgh Review has continued at intervals ever since.
By the Whig Administranion, Mr. Macaulay was appointed Commissioner of Bankrupts .- He commenced his parliamentary carcer about the same period, as member of Colne in the re- form parliament of 1832, and again for Lecds in 1834, at which time he was Secretary to the India Board. His seat, however, was soon re- linquished, for, in the same year, he was ap- pointed member of the Supreme Council in Calcutta, under the East India Company's new charter.
Arriving in Calcutta, in September, in 1834, Mr. Macaulay shortly assumed an important trust, in addition to his seat at the Council. At the request of the Governor General, Lord Wm. Bentick, he became President of the commis- sion of five, appointed to framea penal code for India ; and the principal provisions of this code have been attributed to him. One of the en- actments, in particular, was so unpopular among the English inhabitants, as to receive the appellation of the "Black Act." It abol- ished the right of appeal from the local courts to the supreme court at the presidency, hith- erto exclusively enjoyed by Europeans, and put them on the same focting with natives, giving to both an equal right of appeal to the highest provincial courts. Inconvenience and delay of justice had been caused by the origin- al practice, even when India was closed against Europeans in general, but such practice was obviously incompatible with the rights and property of the natives under the new system of opening the courts to general resort. This measure of equal justice, however, exposed Mr- Macaulay, to whom it was universally attribut- ed, to outrageous personal attacks, in letters, pamphlets, and at public meetings.
.Yaw, my child" says he, dat is by cause I take away the cokery buke from your two shoulders. Ladies and gentlemens, dese are The various reforms and changes instituted grand powers of magnetismus! Ach himmel! by Lord W. Bentick and Lord Aukland, were
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advocated in general by Mr. Macaulay. He re- [ restrictions to be laid on them, should often in turned to England in 1838.
Mr. Macaulay was elected member for Edin- burgh on the liberal inierest in 1335; and being appointed Secretary at war, he was re-elected the following year, and again at the general elcetion of 1841. No review of his political career is here intended, although, in relation to literature, it should be mentioned that he op- posed Mr. Sergeant Talfourd's copy-right bill, and was the principal agent in defeating it. As a public speaker, he usually displays exten- sive information, close reasoning and elo- quenee; and has recently bid fair to rival the greatest names among our English orators .- His conversation in private is equally brilliant and instructive.
Mr. Macaulay may fairly be regarded as the first critical and historical essayest of the time. It is not meant to be inferred there are not other writers : ho display as much understanding and research, as great, perhaps greater, capacity for appreciating excellence, as much aeuteness and humor, and more subtle powers of exeiting, or of measuring the efforts of the intelleet and the imagination, besides possessing an equal mastery of language in their own peculiar style; but there is no other writer who combines so large an amount of those qualities, with the addition of a masterly style, at once highly elassieal and most extensively popular. His style is classical because it is correct, and is popular, bueause it must be intelligible with- out effort, to every edueated understanding .- Horne's New Spirit of the Age.
The University at Glasgow and its Discipline.
It is remarkable, (says Kohl in his travels in Scotland) that while the number of students in the other universities of Great Britain has al- ways been on the inerease, those of the " Uni- versitas Glasguensis " has steadily deereased. Between the years 1820 and 1826 there were here nearly 1600 students, and now there are only 1000, among whom, as also in Edinburgh, there are many from the British colonies. In the English universities of Oxford and Cam- bridge all students must belong to, or deelare allegiance to the established church, on which account, those seminaries of learning contain fewer from the frequently dissenting colonies of Great Britain, than do the Scottish universi- ties. The faculty of Medieine draws the great- est number of students, and therefore, the regu- Biography of Col. John Armstrong. lations and restrietions for the students in this faculty, are especially mild. It has been often remarked, that the youth of the freedom-loving English nation are subjected to a discipline so severe, that the youth of our country would, on no account, submit to it. Such a censor, for example, as sits here, in Glasgow, by the side of each professor, could not be introduced into one of our universities. It is the duty of the eensor to watch the behaviour of the students during the lectures, and to note any ill beha- viour or insubordination. A very common of. fence against which he has to animadvert, is that wide spread passion in all English schools, the considering the writing-tables as good ma- terial for exercises in engraving, and the exe- cution of all sorts of design upon it. I found, in the lecture-room at Glasgow large placards threatening all such artists with heavy punish- John arranged his little affairs, and started next morning to Philadelphia, where he joined ments. It is a eurious subject of investigation for the psychologist, how is it that our wild, disorderly students, who would not allow such | the army. In a short time he was made Ser-
after life be metamorphosed into such obedient citizens, whilst from the British youth, treated and overlooked as schoolboys, sueh obstinate and powerful opponents to government should arise. Under the head Humanity, here, as with us, is understood philology; or rather, as philology here is confined at Latin and Greek, the study of these two languages, and especially the for- mer, the latter, Greek, being muell less zeal- ously pursued in England then in Germany .- "A professor of humanity" is a teacher in Lat- in. In the middle ages, when Latin was, in- deed, the herald of all the muses, this appella- tion was sufficiently applicable and appropri- ate. But now all such old appellations, which have lost their significance, should be allowed gradually to drop away, like the old feudal ti- tles among the nobility. The new light of humanity, which has risen among the nations of Europe, through the zealous and industrious study of nature, has made its way here, but slowly, through the old Latin human- ity. It is but lately that they have establish- ed a professorship of Natural History. Only since 1818 have they a separate professor of Chemistry. Up to that time, only a lecturer was tolerated on this branch of science, so all important in Glasgow. There are other new professional ehairs, but the old chairs have still many privileges, as, for example, free lodgings in the college, and the like. The new profes- sional ehairs, about nine of which have been founded sinee 1816, are carrying on a war at this present time with the old ones, with whom they wished to be placed on an equal footing. They demand frec lodgings, and a voice in the internal regulations of the college, which, up to the present time, they have not obtained .- But it is more than probable they will soon be placed on equal terms. Natural distinctions and limitations are also being gradually laid aside. Formerly none but Seotehman were al- lowed to be professors. Hudgisson (Hutehin- son?) was the first Irishman whom they ad- mitted, and now there are one or two profess- ors from Ireland in that high school. This is a remarkable faet: and I do not believe that we, in Germany, have any conception, that the different subjects of the kingdom of Great Britain have been aeeustomed to make such distinetions among themselves.
Col. John Armstrong, was born in New Jer- sey, 20th April, 1775. At the commencement of the Revolutionary war, having gone to Phil- adelphia to dispose of a load of wheat, for his fa- ther, he found that reeruits were enlisting for the service of the U.S., and when he returned home said to his father he felt inelined to join the ar- my, if it met his approbation. The inquiry was made, "in what capacity," to which he replied, "as a private soldier." After a moment's reflection, the old gentieman said, "I would pre- fer you should have some command, but if you think your country needs your service, you have my permission.
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geant, and from Hth Sept., 1777, to the close of the revolution, served as a commissioned of- ficer in various ranks.
On the disbanding of the army, he was con- tinued in the service. Was commandant at Wy- oming in 1784, at Ft. Pitt in 1785, and 1786,and from 1786 to 1790, in the same capacity, at the Garrison, at the Falls of Ohio. In the spring of 1791, he returned to Philadelphia to recruit his force, with a view to the approaching campaign in the North West, under the command of Col. Josiah Harmar, reached Ft. Washington in Au- gust of that year, and marched thence with the main body of troops, He afterwards participa- ted in the campaign, under General St. Clair, and was in command at Ft. Hamilton, until the spring of 1793, when he resigned.
During the Revolution and Indian wars, he served a period of 17 years, was in 37 skirmish- es, 4 general actions, and one siege. Among which were the battles of Stony Point, Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth, and the siege of Yorktown, in Virginia.
His service in the Revolutionary war was ex tremely severe. While on the Pennsylvania lines, his men were often relieved in conse- quence of the excessive fatigue, while he him- self remained in active service, to the constant annoyance of the enemy. At one time he sta- tioned his men behind a stone wall, enclosing a grave yard. Having a fine horse,he had rode up to the vicinity of Tarlton's encampment, when a number of horsemen gave him chase. Rein- ing his horse so as to allow his pursuers to come very near him until he was approaching the point where his men were secreted, he gave spur, and leaving his pursuers behind, they were fired upon by his party, while he rode round the lot and entered at a gate on the opposite side.
At another time, directing his men to be gov- erned as to the position they were to assume by the waving of his hat, he approached very near the enemy's encampment, his intended re- treat being round a mill pund, but finding him- self intercepted in that direction, his only chance of escape was to cross the forebay of the mill, where if the stretch would have proven too. great for his horse to leap, he must lose him and cross on the timbers. On approaching it, un- willing to lose an animal which had so often proved useful to him, he gave him the spur and cleared the forebay, which none of his British pursuers were willing to attempt. Before they could reach him round the pond, he was snugly in ambush with his men in a thicket ready to re- coive them.
He often remarked that he never knew him- self alarmed but once during his cemmand, and that was while grazing lus horse in a meadow. -
and resting his men, an hundred British house had unobserved passed up a drain and were within fifty yards when first observed. His com- mand being only 25 men, the odds were as four to one against him, and in an open field, but affecting a smile, he said, "My brave fellows stand fast and we will laugh at them," -- "re- serving fire till within 20 steps, then fire front platoon." His order was obeyed, the fire given, the enemy's lines broken and thrown back.and forming in his rear. Ordering his second pla- toon "face to the right about," a second fire was poured in, and the horse were again broken, and so successively by platoons, until the enemy finding themselves regularly cut off by every fire, and the little band standing firm without the loss of a man, withdrew at a-gallop.
At another time, a regiment of the enemy having been stationed ou either side of a lane protected by a stone fence, where he must pass to avoid a swamp which was impassable, he dril- led his men so that but two were together at a time, each passing forward ten steps, then wait- ing till the next came up, & so on until all reach- ed a point near the enemy, the night being very dark. In an audible tone, he then ordered "the right and left wing, to flank out and surround the enemy!" by which the enemy were sur- prized and confused, when he hastily pressed his "right and left wing" of 25 men through the lane undisturbed. Although other incidents equally interesting might be given, let these suf- fice.
After the close of the Revolution, he passed over the mountains to the western wilds. While stationed at the Falls of Ohio, lie and his little force in the garrison rendered essential service in protecting the inhabitants of Kentucky from the depredation of the savages, frequently fol- lowing them into the interior, and reclaiming horses stolen from the Kentucky side. And at one time saving the garrison at Vincennes from starvation, by his fortitude and exertions.
Several attempts to supply them having been foiled by the savages. When he came near the rapids of the Wabash, anticipating an attack from the Indians at that point, he despatched three of his men with the intelli- gence to Colonel Hamtramck, commanding at the post, and requesting the Colonel to meet him at that point, with such force as could be spared from the garrison. He had not proceed- cd far up the river until they found two of the men in a canoc tomahawked and scalped, one of them having the communication to Col. Ham- tramck. Another party was then sent forward by land to the Fort, and a portion of the men sent to collect wood and bark, to be placed in piles on a sand bar near the rapids. At night the fires were kindled, making a show of a large encampment, but neither the men nor provisions
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were there; the boats were quietly fastened among the willows at another point, and the men lodged on shore without fires. The second despatch fortunately reached the Fort. Colonel Hamtramck mustered his whole force, leaving the women and children with a very few (it is believed not more than three) men in possession of the Fort, and pressed forward to meet the provisions, intending in ease they had been ta- ken by the Indians, to make an attack upon them and retake the supplies. Descending the river, in periogues, and deserying the fires on the bar, they supposed them to be the fires of the enemy. While he was giving directions to his men, having approached near enough he was hailed by Armstrong, and brought to. A care- ful watch was kept during the night, and at an early hour Hamtramck giving the entire control to Armstrong, new hands were put to the poles, and the rest set on shore. The boats were pressed forward with uncommon energy, and by 11 o'clock reached the Fort in safety, to the no small joy of all concerned, and especially those who belonged to the Post, who having had supplies intended for their relief twice cut off by the savages at the Rapids, were now, for a time, placed beyond want, for which service they were indebted to the exertions and management of Col. Armstrong.
The Indians were making frequent excur- sions into Kentucky, during the time of Arm- strong's command at Fort Finney, (situate on the Indiana bank, at the lower end of what is now known as the old town of Jeffersonville.) With a view to prevent the savages from passing the river and bringing off horses from Kentucky. Arınstrong built a block house at the mouth of Bull creek, on the Indiana shore, which com- manded a view of their crossing places, at what is now known by the names of the Grassy Flats, and 18 mile Island bar, at both of which, particularly the flats, the river was fordable at a low stage.
While his men were engaged in building the block-house, he with his tomahawk girdled the timber on about three acres of land, on top of the hill, opposite the Grassy Flats, and planted peach seeds in the woods. When the first set- tlers came to the Illinois Grant, and landed at the big rock, designated as their landing place, now well known by boatmen, in the fall after Wayne's treaty, they found the timber dead and fallen down, and the peach trees growing among the brush and bearing fruit. The settlers cleared away the brush, and this woody orchard supplied then. with fruit for some years. There are at this time, persons living who were of these settlers, and saw this wilderness orchard. This settlement was long known as "Arm-I strong's Station."
In Harmar's campaign he suffered severely In the action fought under the command of Col. Hardin, near where Ft. Wayne now stands, he lost 31 men out of 39 of his command. The militia having been thrown into disorder, sud- denly retreated, leaving Captain Armstrong to contend at the head of a decidedly unequal force. The Captain and most of his men stood their ground, anticipating a rally of the militia, in which they were disappointed, when the Captain after shooting an Indian in the act of sealping the last inan he had on the field, threw himself in the grass between an immense oak stump and log which had been blown down where he remained about three hours in daylight. At night the Indians went to their war dance, wit h- in gunshot of where he laid. Desiring to sell his life as dear as possible, he at one time tho't of attempting to shoot a chief, who he could distinguish by his dress and trinkets in the light of the fires. Taking his watch and compass from their fobs, he buried them by the side of the log where he lay, saying to himself some honest fellow tilling this ground many years hence may find them, and these rascals shan't have them. Finding, however, great uncertainty in drawing a bead by cloudy moonlight, and that of the fires at the dance, and thinking it possible he might escape, in which case they would be useful to him, he dug them up and replaced them in his fobs. Soon after, being satisfied that there were Indians very near him, and conscious that they would prefer taking him prisoner to shooting him, should he coek his gun, and on attempting to escape, be discovered, he could wheel and shoot before the Indian would attempt to shoot, upon which he coeked his rifle; the Indian near him began to rattle in the leaves and mimick ground squirrels and perwink. The Captain cautiously moved, and on the third step was so distinctly discovered by the Indians that the savage yell was given, when everything was in- stantly silent at the dance. The Captain then took to his heels, springing the grass as far as prac- ticable to prevent tracking. After running a short distance, he discovered a pond of water in. to which he immediately jumped, thinking there would be no tracking there. Seating him- self on a bog of grass, with his gun on his shoulder, and the water round bis waist, he had not been in the pond five minutes when the whole troop of Indians, foot and horse, were around the pond hunting for him. Using his own expression, "such yells I never heard. I suppose the Indians thought I was a wounded man, that their yells would scare me, and I would run and they would catch me, but I tho't to myself I would see them d-d first; the In- dians continued their hunt for seven hours, un- til the moon went down, when they retired to their fires."
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