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| Northern front (Royal Military College of Canada) |
Dear Brother
I received your letter dated on the 22d of August, in which you promised to write to me again before you left Winchester. Not having received anything from you since, has led me to conclude that you have either not written, or your letter has miscarried. I had delayed writing sooner that I might receive that letter, but as our little Village has been the victim of calamity, I have forborne to wait longer.
On last Thursday night we were alarmed, about 12 O'clock with the cry of fire. I hastened to the spot and found Col. Preston's new brick house all in flames, set on fire, no doubt, by the hand of some infernal, hellish incendiary. The new Courthouse was also set on fire, but was discovered before any damage was done and extinguished.
The night was calm, the inclination of the wind, (which was astir, tho') being Westward, there was no possibility of stopping the fury of the devouring element until it arrived at William Trigg's. There we made a vigorous effort and there we succeeded in stopping its ravages.
All the houses on that side of the street, between that and the corner were laid in ruins. No lives were lost nor any injured except one or two slightly. The citizens generally saved their property or the most of it. It was an awful night you may rest assured; but there seemed to be less alarm among the citizens than I would have suppos'd.
Maria has been unwell for several days with the jaundice, a complaint which seems to be very prevalent here at this time: tho' I'm in hopes she will be well enough in a few days. She wrote to you by the last Sunday's mail and mentioned that we would not finally determine until we had heard from you again, as to the course we should adopt.
She also mentioned the cancer which afflicts our sister Eliza. I intend having it removed as soon as possible. She seems willing to do any thing that I may advise. The doctor told me the other day that it would be nearly as large as a goose's egg.
Your maid is also down. 'Tis said with the pox, and the doctor says she must be salivated, which will require about two months.
I assure you sir I have my hands full; but go on with s much alacrity as the nature of things will permit. form the uncertainty as to the manner and time of Maria's departure, I am placed in rather an unpleasant situation. I know not on what to resolve, you will therefore be explicit on that subject, for unless you are so, there can be no concert between us. If you intend sending a carriage let me know on what I am to depend, and make my arrangements to carry Maria to any point on the Continent where she would wish to go: but I would rather have done so before the intense cold weather would set in.
Maria says nothing about going to Tennessee. Nor do I believe she will want to go that course while a hope remains of going towards the North. I have not yet got your pistols from Gilliland but will as soon as possible and bring or send them to you.
We have heard of Hull's disgrace, I can call it nothing better. [Brigadier General William Hull surrendered Detroit to the British on August 16, 1812.] Some of us here do not credit the account & I for one. For is it possible that 2 or 3,000 men, Americans too -- the sons of liberty would willingly surrender to any foe on the whole face of the earth, without a single effort, when defended by a strongly fortified garrison, unless there was the most damnable treachery in the commander[?] Yet this is [the] account we have received. I cannot, will [not] believe it until I see an official statement well authenticated.
Mr. Edmiston showed me your letter the other day but did not tell me what he intended doing. Capt. Henry marched from this place on this day week with about sixty men for Philadelphia.
I have written in haste and in the warmth of a brother's hand
Must bid you
Adieu
Edward
[Edward Campbell (1781-1833)
David Campbell (1779-1859). Serving as Major, Twelfth U.S. Infantry. Edward's letter was originally addressed to Reading, Pennsylvania, scratched out and "Albany or Buffaloe" added for updated address along the way.
Maria Hamilton Campbell (1783-1859)
Eliza Campbell (1787-?)
Col. Preston = William Smith Preston (1765-1835)
William Trigg (1784-1813)
William Hull (1753-1825), for cowardice and dereliction of duty, was sentenced to death by firing squad but spared by President James Madison.
Mr. Edmiston = possibly Captain John Montgomery Edmiston (1764-1813), veteran of King's Mountain (1780), killed in action at River Raisin on January 22, 1813.
Around this time, Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831), moved with his family from Prince Edward County to Abingdon.]
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 Campbell Family Papers (1731-1969), here's a link to the guide.
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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