LIFE OF JOHN J. CRITTENDEN. CHAPTER I. 1787-1811. Birth-Parentage- Education-Study of the Law-Admission to the BarAppointed Attorney-General of the Territory of Illinois by Ninian Edwards— Appointed Aide-de-Camp by General Shelby, in 1813, for the Campaign into Canada-Letters from Chancellor George M. Bibb, General Samuel Hopkins, General Shelby-Anecdote of his Legal Practice in Logan City. JOH OHN JORDAN CRITTENDEN was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, on the 10th of September, 1787, and died at Frankfort, on the 26th of July, 1863. His father, John Crittenden, who held the rank of major during the Revolutionary War, was a farmer of moderate means. He was killed by the fall of a tree, and left a family of four sons and three daughters. His ancestry on the father's side were Welsh, and his mother was a descendant of French Huguenots. Mr. Crittenden was sent from home to school in 1803-4, in Jessamine County, Kentucky. J. J. Marshall, T. A. Marshall, J. Cabell Breckenridge, Hubbard Taylor, Francis P. Blair, etc. were among his schoolmates. Every one of these men became distinguished in after-life. I think this could have been no accidental coincidence; their teacher must have had much to do with the rich development of character and intellect which made of these boys both great and good men: his name should be known and his memory honored. One of these gentlemen told me that Mr. Crittenden's delight in the study of the Latin language, and his facility in mastering it, was a subject of surprise and comment among his companions, and they believed that his own natural powers of eloquence were greatly aided by his study of Cicero's works. Mr. Crittenden's cotemporaries in his own State were most remarkable men; it was indeed a proud honor to be distinguished among such brilliant competitors. The names of Jesse Bledsoe, Robert and Charles Wickliffe, John Pope, John Rowan, John Boyle, Ben Hardin, Richard Menifee, John Adair, William T. Barry, Robert Letcher, Governor Metcalf, F. Grundy, and Joseph H. Davis will live in history. These men were educated in the wilds of Kentucky," the dark and bloody ground." There was then but little social intercourse, even between the neighboring States, books and schools were scarce,-in fact, it was not possible to obtain the accessories and advantages now considered indispensable to a finished education; and yet as lawyers, as politicians, as orators, they were unsurpassed. I have heard it stated that the Kentucky bar was at that time superior to the bar of any other State. This was, perhaps, attributable to the fact that every acre of ground in the State was covered over by conflicting law-claims. In social life, these men were full of originality of wit and humor, and although differing widely on legal and State questions, each one of them was the personal friend of Mr. Crittenden He was a man of strong and ardent feelings, but his opponents were invariably met by him with a marked courtesy. Mr. Crittenden commenced the study of the law under the judicious and kind counsel of Judge G. M. Bibb,—in fact, he was a member of Judge Bibb's family, residing at this time near Lexington, Kentucky. He completed his law studies at the ancient college of William and Mary, in Virginia, and commenced the practice of law in 1807 in his native county of Woodford, Kentucky. He did not continue there many years, however, but removed to Russellville, in Logan County, this location seeming to offer more inducements to promising and enterprising young men than (what was then considered) the old settled part of the State. Soon, by his attention to business, his eloquence and ability, he obtained a good and lucrative practice, and inspired the entire community with confidence in his sincerity and honesty of purpose, and whenever he chose to be a candidate for any office in his native State, he was elected without diffi culty. In 1809 he was appointed attorney-general of the Territory of Illinois, by Ninian Edwards, then governor of the Territory, and in 1810 he received a commission as aide-decamp from Governor Edwards. In 1811-12, Mr. Crittenden was elected to the Kentucky legislature, and during an intermission between his public duties and the courts he dashed over to Illinois and acted as volunteer aide to General Hopkins, in an expedition against the Indians. The same year he was appointed aide-de-camp, by Governor Charles Scott, in the first division of the militia of Kentucky. In 1813 he was selected by Governor Shelby as an "aidede-camp," and associated with Adair and Barry in the campaign into Canada. He took part in the battle of the Thames, where, under Generals Harrison and Shelby, the British under General Proctor were captured, the Indian force defeated and dispersed, and the Northwest Territory, which had been lost by Hull's surrender of Detroit, was recovered. His conduct in the campaign was favorably noticed in General Harrison's report, who long afterwards manifested his regard and confidence in Mr. Crittenden by appointing him attorney-general in 1841, this being the only cabinet appointment Mr. C. was ever willing to accept. (Hon. George M. Bibb to John J. Crittenden.) SENATE CHAMBER, April 16, 1812. DEAR JOHN,-We have been waiting for a respectable force to be embodied. The Kentuckians are impatient, Congress firm; their ultimate acts will not disappoint the expectations of a brave people, determined to be free and independent. The truth is, the Secretary of the War Department is too imbecile; he has neither the judgment to concert, the firmness to preserve, nor the vigor to execute any plans of military operations; his want of arrangement and firmness is now so apparent, that he cannot longer remain at the head of the War Department. The President and majority in Congress have already suffered much by having such a man in that position. He must be dismissed by the President, or an inquiry of some kind, touching the conduct of the department, will be introduced. With a proper minister of war we might now have been prepared for war. If Eustis should be removed, we could soon be ready. Expecting that another man will be called to direct our military arrangements, I hope that a declaration of war will be made before the expiration of the period for which an embargo has been laid. I obtained a commission of first lieutenant for Thomas Crittenden; have been informed that he will not accept. How is Butler coming on in his electioneering campaign? I long to see him among the natives, "courting the sovereigns." Are his friends active? He must be elected. We want no wavering, time-serving, insincere politicians here; we have but too many already. Yours truly, GEORGE M. BIBB. (General Sam Hopkins to Mr. Crittenden.) FRANKFORT, August 24, 1812. DEAR JOHN,-I arrived here, agreeably to the orders of his excellency the governor, to-day, by an express from Detroit. Certain it is Hull has retrograded, and is now in Detroit, surrounded by the British. He has twice attacked their post at Brownstown: the second attack, in which the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, of the 4th United States Regiment, commanded, was successful, and the enemy beaten, though the post was not taken. The Ohio cavalry refused to charge; their provisions nearly expended, and no supplies can arrive till Brownstown is taken. Hull's situation is precarious; the troops from Kentucky are on their way to relieve them,-say upwards of 2200. Michilamakinaw is taken, and I fear Chicago has met the same fate; in fine, everything in that quarter is gloomy. To-morrow a council, consisting of Messrs. Clay, Johnson; Governors Scott, Shelby, Harrison, and myself, are to meet and consult upon the best means of defending the country. The Indians are not friends. This reverse will no doubt settle them hostile. Ten other articles could be recounted I hate-I can't be the author of anything worse, yet I fear I have worse to tell you the next opportunity. J. J. CRITTENDEN. Yours truly, SAM HOPKINS. FRANKFORT, August 20, 1813. DEAR SIR,-Your favor of the fifteenth has been duly received. I had been casting my mind about, for a day or two past, for my second aide-de-camp. Among others, you had passed through my mind, but I feared that the distance between us and the short time I had to make my arrangements, would not afford me an opportunity to address you on this subject. Having, however, received your letter, expressing your willingness and desire to be one of my family on the present campaign, I embrace the earliest opportunity to assure you that you shall be my second aide-de-camp. General John Adair is already appointed the first. I shall, therefore, look out for no other gentleman to fill that station, and beg you will be so good as to acknowledge the receipt of this letter, and apprise me of your determination by the_returning_mail. I shall forward a duplicate of this letter to Bowling Green, to guard against possible disappointment should you have left that neighborhood, Í have the honor to be, most respectfully, Your obedient servant, ISAAC SHELBY. CAMP AT LIMESTONE, November 2, 1813. Major J. J. Crittenden having acted as my second aide-decamp on the late expedition into Canada, I cannot, in justice to his merits or my own feelings, take leave of him without expressing my warmest approbation of his whole conduct during the campaign, and the great obligations I feel for the attachment shown to my person, and the zeal and promptitude with which he always executed my orders, particularly so in the battle of the fifth of October last, on the river French. Given under my hand, ISAAC SHELBY. A number of young men in Russellville, Kentucky, raised and equipped a volunteer artillery company, in 1816, of which Mr. Crittenden was selected captain; he was commissioned as captain by Governor Shelby, and attached to the 23d Regiment of militia on the 18th of May, 1816. This company continued its organization under successive captains until the late war. Many years after Mr. Crittenden removed to Frankfort, he visited Tennessee, and returned home by the way of Russellville. The morning he was to start home, this old company paraded before the door and informed him that they intended to escort him some distance, with banners flying and drums beating. Mr. Crittenden, who was a modest man and always shrank from anything like exhibition or display, was, at first, very reluctant to be made so conspicuous; he soon recovered himself, however, and, after this flattering and touching attention, he parted with his old comrades of the company with heartfelt thanks. Only a day or two before his death, one of the members of this old Logan County command was seated by his bedside, when suddenly his mind re VOL. I.-2 |
