FUNDAMENTAL
DOCUMENTS

ARCHIVES/
LIBRARY

ONLINE
RESEARCH
TOOLS

ONLINE
DOCUMENTS

ONLINE
SERVICES

LEWIS CASS TO WORTHINGTON

Wackatomoka Near Zanesville Dec. 7th
1812

Dear Sir,

I this day forward to the Secy of War a plan for raising a Brigade of Voluntiers within this State. I have no time to copy it and must therefore request you to examine the original.

Should it be approved, I should be extremely glad to receive the appoint- ment of Brigadier General of Volunteers for the State. I had much rather hold a Commission in the Armies than a seat in the Counsels of my Country. In order to effect this it is necessary I should be exchanged, and as the enemy have agreed to a tariff[?] wherein a Commissioned Officer may be exchanged for a certain number of privates there can be no difficulty in it.

Genl McArthur being elected to Congress and Genl. Findlay holding a very responsible office induced me with more confidence to solicit the appointment I have mentioned.

This selection of proper field officers is essential to a due execution of the plan. I think it would be very desirable, that the Field Officers, who were in the expedition to Detroit should again receive commissions as Field Officers. Maj. V Horne as Colonel in the first Division. Majr. Denny or Trimble in the second. Maj. Jeremiah R. Munson in the third Majr. Denny of Trimble as Major in the second Division and Maj. Robert Morrison in the third. These men have all proved their devotion to the cause of t eir Country and have acquired a degree of estimation and popularity, which would be very useful in raising and of knowledge which would be still more useful in disci- plining a new Corps. They would do honour to the military character of any Country. The person to be appointed in the fourth division and the other Majors, your general knowledge of character will enable you to select. Should there be any difficulty in appointing these of icers in consequence of their being included in the Capitulation of Detroit, it would be much better to eff- ect their exchange than to appoint others. Their weight of military character would give them a decided advantage over any other appointments. I commend[?] this letter to your confidence. For reasons which I will relate to you on a personal interview, I am anxious unless the plan be adopted and my application successful, that it should remain in your own breast. To the secy, as it would have been improper, I have not communicated my wish to be appointed.

I will frankly confess to you, that I have been solicited to run for the Senate. Should the disgraceful capitulation of Detroit prevent me from serving my country in a military capacity, I shall probably be induced to make the pecuniary sacrifices and if elected to lend my feeble support towards the con- duct of a war, in which the ambition and injustice of foreign rivalry has in- volved us. I am anxious to learn the result so soon as practicable and in the mean time an as ever your faithful & obt servt

Lew Cass

125