Peter Carr Johnston to Staff Officers, December 30-31, 1814

[Peter Carr Johnston at New York, New York, to staff officers, December 30 and 31, 1814. US National Archives, Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984, Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889. Link here.

Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration.]

                                                  New York, Dec'r 30th 1814

Sir, 

I was ordered to this place as a witness before the Gen'l Court Martial engaged in the trial of Col. Coles. My testimony is given, and I am now without orders. Anxious, for private considerations important to me, to spend a few days in Virginia, I would request from the General permission to be absent till the 1st of Match next, by which time I will join my Regiment at Buffaloe [Buffalo].

The following is a copy of the Order I received from Maj'r Gen'l Izard:

Extract from Gen'l Orders --

                                            Head Quarters Buffaloe Dec. 10th 1814

Lieut. Johnston 12th Inf'y will proceed to New York agreeably to summons from Washington.

                                            By Order of Maj'r Gen'l Izard
                                                 (Signed)
                                                                [C.] K. Gardner
                                                                       Adj't Gen'l

             I am, Sir, with the highest respect
                            your Ob't Serv't
                                      Peter C. Johnston
                                       Lieut: 12th Inf'y

Maj'r Christie
Asst. Adj't Gen'l  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      New York, Dec'r 31st 1814

Sir, 

I was ordered to this place as a witness in the trial of Col. Coles, now in progress: my Testimony is given, and I am without orders. 

Anxious, for private considerations of importance to me, to spend a few days in Virginia, I would solicit permission to be absent from my Regiment till the 1st of Match next, by which time I will join it at Buffaloe [Buffalo].

The following is a copy of my orders from Maj'r Gen'l Izard:

Extract from Gen'l Orders --

                                            Head Quarters Buffaloe Dec. 10th 1814

Lieut: Johnston 12th Inf'y will proceed to New York agreeably to Summons from Washington.

                                            By Order of Maj'r Gen'l Izard
                                                 (Signed)
                                                                [C.] K. Gardner
                                                                       Adj't Gen'l

             I am, Sir, with the highest 
                            Respect
                               your Ob't Serv't
                                      Peter C. Johnston
                                       Lieut: 12th Inf'y

Gen'l Parker 
Adj't Insp'r Gen'l  

[Lt. Peter Carr Johnston (1793-1877).
Col. Coles = Isaac A. Coles (1780-1841) of the 12th US Infantry, challenged to a duel by Dr. James O. Bronaugh of the same regiment. Coles was a friend of Thomas Jefferson.
Major General Izard = George Izard (1776-1828).
C. K.Gardner = Charles Kitchell Gardner (1787-1869). See also Charles K. (Charles Kitchell) Gardner Papers, 1803-1897 (SC12914), New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections. Link to finding aid here.
Major Christie = probably Thomas Christie of the 23rd US Infantry.
General Parker = Daniel Parker (1782-1846).] 

Peter Carr Johnston to Charles Kitchell Gardner, November 30, 1814

Northern front (Royal Military College of Canada)

[Peter Carr Johnston at Camp near Buffalo, New York, to Charles Kitchell Gardner at Buffalo, New York, November 30, 1814. US National Archives, Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984, Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889. Link here.

Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration.]

                                                    Camp near Buffaloe [aka Buffalo]
                                                         Nov'r 30th 1814

Sir, 

The Gen'l court martial, of which Col. Pinckney is President, is now duly organized, and awaits for is ready to proceed to the trial of any cases that may be brought before them.

I beg leave to request for myself that the Maj. Gen'l. will order me to be relieved. -- The charges upon which the Court was intended to act having been withdrawn, and the court ordered to take cognizance of any case brought before them, it is probable that its session will continue for some time; and the constant attendance which it will be necessary for me to pay to it on account of the duties of Judge Advocate that I have to discharge, will make it impossible for me to perform the duty of Adjutant of the 12th [U.S. Infantry].

                                        I am, with the highest respect your ob't serv't
                                           Peter C. Johnston
                                           J. Adv't

Col. C. K. Gardner
         Adj't Gen'l

P.S. I am directed to request you to order an orderly to be detailed to attend the Court.
                                                   Yours &c.
                                                       P.C.J.
                                                        J.A. 


[Lt. Peter Carr Johnston (1793-1877).
Col. Pinckney = Lt. Col. Ninian Pinckney (1771-1825). 
Charles Kitchell Gardner (1787-1869). See also Charles K. (Charles Kitchell) Gardner Papers, 1803-1897 (SC12914), New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections. Link to finding aid here.] 

John Peter Mettauer to John Warfield Johnston, March 4, 1814

[John Peter Mettauer at Prince Edward, Virginia, to John Warfield Johnston at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1814,  Box 1, John Warfield Johnston Papers, 1778-1890, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. This is my rough transcription. Ellipses denote tears in paper or indecipherable words.]

Prince Edward
March 4th 1814

Dear Johnston,

I have enclosed you the letter that I spoke [of] in my last to you; be good enough to deliver it if possible if not lodge it in the post office with direction on the back if not applied for in 20 days to be sent back to P. E. [Prince Edward] on . . . if you . . . the family if they are in town if . . . heard of probably it would be . . . the letter. I fear the old man is dead indeed I have heard so, if so it is probable the children have left Philad'a make necessary enquiries my dear friend & if possible continue the letter to Charlotte.

I suppose you are M. D. by this time if so I heartily congratulate you on the occasion. [N]othing new since my last except Tom Allen's wedding he was married last Wednesday to a sister of Henry N. Watkins.

I remain your friend
J.P. Mettauer

[Dr. John Peter Mettauer (1787-1875), A. B. Hampden-Sydney 1806 and University of Pennsylvania Medical School 1809. Dr. George Ben Johnston (1853-1916) later gave an address about him. Buried with his high hat on.
Dr. John Warfield Johnston (December 14, 1790-December 10, 1818)
Tom Allen = Dr. Thomas Allen (1789-1850) married Ann Venable Watkins (1792-1830) on February 23, 1814; their son Henry Watkins Allen (1820-1866) became a Confederate brigadier general and wartime Governor of Louisiana before dying in Mexico.
Henry N. Watkins (1787-1850)]

For their help and assistance, many thanks to the staff of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the John Warfield Johnston Papers, here's a link to the guide.     

[Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]

Charles Johnston to Benjamin Hatcher, September 16, 1814

Charles Johnston to Benjamin Hatcher, September 16, 1814. Lynchburg, Virginia. 

You will perceive by the enclosed resolution of the board of Directors that it is my duty to request of you to call upon the Governor and Council for a military guard for the protection of this place.

The Resolution has been adopted in consequence of a disclosure of some negroes upon a late examination, at which, altho' a pot was not actually developed, yet it appeared from the evidence of all that a general rising of the blacks in this quarter has lately been the subject of frequent conversations among them, and that the Banks of this place have always been spoken of as the first object.

The spirit of insurrection has no doubt been produced by two causes, first, the approach of a foreign enemy; and secondly, the exposed condition of this part of the country has been left by the repeated calls of the Militia which have been made upon it, leaving scarcely any other population than that of old men and boys.

The board of Directors seeing the danger to which such a state of things exposes this and a similar institution, in which the State has also a deep interest, and believing that by placing a small military force at this place to serve as a rallying point, the danger may be averted, have felt it their duty to take up the subject, and to request you to ask of the Hon'ble Executive to afford us such protection as they in their judgment may deem adequate to the subject.

I am, &c.

[Enclosed] The board of Directors having some reason to apprehend an insurrection amongst the Blacks, and believing that the Banks at this place will be one of their first objects,

Resolved, That the President be requested to write to the President and directors of Farmers Bank at Richmond for the purpose of laying the subject before the Governor and Council, and to request that the Governor and Council will, if it  is not incompatible with the public safety at other places, furnish for the protection of the Town of Lynchburg one or more companies of Militia with arms, ammunition, &c.

Davidson Bradfute, Cash'r
Lynchburg, Sep. 16th, 1814. 

Source: CALENDAR OF VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS AND OTHER MANUSCRIPTS FROM JANUARY 1, 1808, TO DECEMBER 81, 1835: Preserved in the Capitol, at Richmond. ARRANGED, EDITED, AND PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY AND DIRECTION OF H. W. FLOURNOY. Secretary of the Commonwealth and State LiBrarian. VOLUME X. RICHMOND: 1892, pages 387-388.  

[The Governor of Virginia at the time, until December 14, 1814, was James Barbour (1775-1842), who later helped Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891) in his application for entry to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. 
Charles Johnston (1769-1833)
Benjamin Hatcher ((circa 1766-circa 1844), President of Farmers Bank 
Davidson Bradfute (1781-1831)]