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ROBERT LUCAS TO WORTHINGTON

Portsmouth 10th May 1813

Sir,

The long expected order from the Secretary of war cone to hand on Friday the 7th Instant, bearing date the 31st of March, in which I was informed that I have been assigned to the Command of Rangers, and directed me to report my- self to Brigadier General Benjamin Howard at St. Louis --

This extraordinary arangement, I must confess has in some degree aston- ished me, being beyond all anticipation, and directly contrary to my wish, to have such a command --

On meditation, I am confident the arrangement has been made, at the re- quest of certain ambitious and envious characters, with a view to have .te re- moved from the state, to open a way for their own promotions. This I am well convinced of, as I never expressed a wish, neither directly, nor indirectly to have a command in the rangers, they being a hand of troops that has never met my vievrs -- Under these considerations I have wrote to the Secretary of war declining the acceptance of the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel, unless I could be continued to a command in Infantry agreeably to the tenor of the appointment received, in which case if my rank was not neglected I would be willing to continue in the Service --

Sir, it has even been my wish to be in the service, if I could be in a station that gave me an opertunity of rendering important services to my country, But i can never consent to serve the views of individuals, nor suffer my rank to be trifled with -- I cannot consistant with the honor of an officer, acknowledge, those my superiors, who has never held a superior rank in the state, and whose knowledge of the arts of war, I know to be far inferior to my own -- It is truly a painfull thing to me to see the ambition and jealousy that exists in the breasts of many of our officers, And I will venture to predict, that our armies, will never arive to that degree of perfection in Dicipline, that is necessary to insure victory, untill ambition is discarded, merit and talents rewarded, Greater exertions used by our commanders to stim- ulate the troops, with a more ardent love of Country, a conviction of the justness of our cause, the indespensible necessity of strict Subordination, energy in movements -- and a self conquering unanimity in action, without which no troops can expect to act effectual (For Alexander the great, observed emphatically: "That he would conquer others, must first learn to conquer him- self" which is unquestionably the first requisite in a soldier and officer) --

Sir, notwithstanding my great anxiety to be in the Service, I cannot con- sent to relinquish the command of a Brigade of militia, in my own state, when its fronteers is invaded, to accept the command of a Lut Colonel in troops that I conceive but little better than mili-tia, in a distant Territory --

Sir I feel myself under a strict obligation to you for the honor con- fered upon me by the appointment, I received, which I hoped to have filled with honor to myself and Country, but the recent arrangements, has intercepted all my views, therefore I retire with as much cherfullness as I had antici- pated in accepting -- I hope that you will consider my declining to accept the appointment of Liut. Col. of Rangers at St. Louis as partly originating from a sence of duty, I owe to myself as an officer, and the State of Ohio as a citizen --

Be pleased to accept the assurances of my eternal gratitude and respect --

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