Official.

DEPARTMENT OF WAR,
June 26, 1841.

The Secretary of War, in the discharge of a painful duty, announces to the army the death of Major General Alexander Macomb, their late General in chief.

It were but a small tribute to his memory to say that in youth and manhood he served his country in the profession in which he died, during a period of more than forty years, without a stain or blemish upon his escutcheon. The spotless purity of his life was not less conspicuous than his patriotism and devotion to the service. Though bred a soldier, - and always an advocate of a proper degree of rigor in maintaining the discipline of the army, his heart was still open to all the benevolent sensibilities of our nature; nor were his success and good fortune below his personal deserts. Entering the army in his youth as a cornet, he passed honorably through every grade of command to the highest attainable in his profession. In the progress of his long career, besides the various occasions of ordinary occurrence which called forth the exercise of his active talents as an officer, the late war with Great Britain afforded him an opportunity of signalizing his skill and gallantry in a more eminent degree; and he availed himself of it in a manner which entitles him to be enrolled high in the list of that distinguished and heroic band of commanders, by land and sea, who have achieved so much for the honor and glory of their country. A grateful people, speaking through their constituted authorities, were prompt to acknowledge their lively sense of the value and importance of his services, while living; nor will they fail to manifest correspondent feelings of sorrow and regret upon the occasion of his death. The army will cherish his memory for the many excellent traits of his character as a man, while the example of his military fortune will encourage them to emulate his active perseverance, devotion and gallantry as an officer.

As an appropriate testimony of respect and honor for the memory of their late General-in-Chief, the officers of the army will wear the usual badge of mourning for six months, on the left arm and hilt of the sword. Guns will be fired at each military post, at intervals of thirty minutes from sunrise until sunset on the day succeeding the receipt of this order, during which time the national flag will be suspended at half-staff.

JOHN BELL.

Funeral of General Macomb.

The funeral of Major General Macomb took place at Washington on Monday. The body of the illustrious deceased was escorted to the tomb by two battalions of foot soldiers, a squadron of horse and a troop of artillery under the command of General Jesup. Several volunteer companies also appeared in the procession. The military escort was followed by the clergy of the district and surgeon general of the army, and then came the coffin, with Colonels Cross, Abert, Bomford, Totten and Henderson, Gen. Gibson and Wool, Commodores Wadsworth and Warrington, Hon. W. C. Dawson, of the House, and Hon. W. C. Preston, of the Senate, as pall bearers. A long line of carriages, in one of which was the President, the others being filled with civil dignitaries, members of Congress, foreign ambassadors, of ficers of the army and navy, &c. closed the procession.

The body was deposited in the Congressional burying ground, with the solemn services of the Episcopal church, after which the military fired the usual death volleys over the tomb. It is understood that the corpse will be removed in a few days to the family vault at Georgetown.

Biography of Major Gen. Alexander Macomb. Major General Alexander Macomb was born at Detroit April 3, 1782. The city of Detroit, at that time was a garrison town, and among the first images that struck his eyes were those of the circumstances of war. These early impressions often fix the character of the man.

His father was a fur merchant, respectably descended and connected. He removed to the city of New York while Alexander was yet an infant. When he was yet eight years of age, he placed him at school at Newark, in New Jersey, under the charge of the Rev. Dr. Ogden, who was a man of mind, belonging to a family distinguished for talents.

In 1798 while Macomb was quite a youth, he was elected into a select company, which was called the New York Rangers." The name was taken from that Spartan band of rangers selected from the provincials, who, from 1755 to 1763, were the elite of every British commander on Lake George and the borders of Canada. At the time he entered the corps of New York Rangers, Congress had passed a law receiving volunteers for the defence of the country, as invasion by a French army was soon expected. This patriotic band volunteered their services to government, which were accepted, but he soon left this corps, and obtained a cornetcy at the close of the year 1798, and was commissioned in January, 1799. General North, then adjutant general of the Northern army, soon saw the merits of the youthful soldier, and took him into his staff, as deputy adjutant general. Under such a master as the intelligent and accomplished North, Macomb made great progress in his profession, and in the affections of his brother officers of the army.

The young officer that Hamilton noticed, and North instructed, would not fail to be ambitious of distinction. He visited Montreal in order to observe the discipline and tactics of the veteran corps kept at that important military post, and did not neglect his opportunities.

The thick and dark cloud that hung over the country passed away-a great part of the troops were disbanded, and most of the officers and men returned to private life; a few only were retained; among them Macomb, who was commissioned as a second lieutenant of dragoons, and sent forthwith on the recruiting service, but it was then not necessary to push the business; and as he was stationed in PhilaIdelphia, he had fine opportunities to associate with the best informed men of the city, and found easy access to the Franklin and other extensive libraries, of which advantages he did not fail to improve.

When his body of recruits was formed, he marched with it to the Western frontiers to join Gen. Wilkinson, an officer who had been left in the service from the Revolutionary war. In the company of Wilkinson, and of Col. Williams, the engineer, he must have gathered a mass of materials for future use. With him he went into the Cherokee country, to aid in makeng a treaty with that nation. He was on this mission nearly a year, and kept a journal of everything he saw or heard. This was a good school for one whose duty it might hereafter be to fight these very aborigines, and, in fact, these lessons of the wilderness are not lost on any one of mind and observation. The corps to which he belonged was disbanded, and a corps of engineers formed; to this he was attached as first lieutenant.

He was now sent to West Point, where he was, by the code there established, a pupil as well as an officer. Being examined and declared competent, he was appointed an adjutant of the corps at that post, and discharged his duty with so much spirit and intelligence, that when the first court martial, after his examination, was convened, he was appointed judge advocate. This court was ordered for the trial of an officer for disobeying an order for cutting off the hair. Peter the Great could not carry such an order into execu tion, but our Republican country did; and the veteran Col. Butler was reprimanded for not throwing his white locks to the wind when ordered so to do by his superior. The talents and arguments exhibited by Macomb, as judge advocate on this court martial, brought him into very great notice as a man of exalted intellect as well as a fine soldier. He was now called upon to compile a treatise upon martial law and the practice of courts martial, which in a future day of leisure, he effected, and his book is now the standard work upon courts martial for the army of the United States. In 1805 Macomb was promoted to the rank of captain in the corps of engineers, and sent to the seaboard to superintend the fortifications which had been ordered by an act of Congress. By this service he became known to the first men in the

country, and his merits were duly appreciated from New Hampshire to the Floridas.

In 1808 he was promoted to the rank of major, and acted as superintendent of fortifications until just before the war, when he was advanced to a lieutenant-colonelcy. He was again detailed to act as judge advocate on a court martial for the trial of Gen. Wilkinson, who had called the court on Col. Butler. He added to his reputation in this case. Wilkinson was his friend, but Macomb discharged his duty with military exactness.

had kept his reputation in view as reflecting honor upon the territory in which he was born. He continued at that post attentive to his duty and devising liberal things for the people of that region without confiding his exertions to any particular portion of territory, until, in 1821, he was called to Washington to take the office of chief of the engineer department. On the receipt of this information, he was addressed by all classes of the people of Detroit in the most exalted language of friendship and regard. On repairing to Washington, he assumed the duties of the bureau he was called to, and discharged them to the satisfaction of the Government and the Army. On the death of General Brown, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Macomb was appointed to that station, which he has ever since held, and in which he died.—National Intelligencer. Correspondence between the President and Mrs. Harrison.

WASHINGTON, July 1, 1841.

I have the honor herewith to submit to the House of ReMrs. Harrison, in compliance with the resolutions of Conpresentatives the copy of a letter addressed by myself to gress, and her reply thereto.

At the breaking out of the war of 1812, he left the seat of Government, where he had discharged an arduous duty, in assisting to give form and regularity to the army then just raised by order of Congress. All sorts of confusion had prevailed, from the want of a uniform system of military tactics: he was fortunate in his exertions. When there was honorable war, he could not be satisfied to remain, as it were, a cabinet officer, and wear a sword only to advise what should be done, which seemed to be regulations of the army in respect to engineers; he therefore solicited a command To the House of Representatives of the United States: in the corps of artillery that was to be raised, and was gratified by a commission as colonel of the third regiment, dated July 6, 1812. The regiment was to consist of twenty companies of one hundred and eighteen each. It was, in fact, the command of a division, except in rank. His reputation assisted in raising this body of men, and in November of that year he marched to the frontiers with his command. Macomb and his troops spent the winter at Sacket's Harbor. He contemplated an attack upon Kingston, but was defeated in his plan by the fears of some and the jealousies of others; but he soon distinguished himself at Niagara and Fort George at the same time Commodore Chauncey was endeavoring to bring the enemy's fleet to battle on Lake Ontario. The next service performed by Col. Macomb was under Gen. Wilkinson, and if the campaign was not successful, Macomb was not chargeable with any portion of the failure.

JOHN TYLER.
WASHINGTON CITY,
June 13, 1841.S

My Dear Madam-The accompanying resolutions, adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, will convey to you an expression of the deep sympathy felt by the Representatives of the States, and of the People, in the sad bereavement which yourself and the country has sustained in the death of your illustrious husband. It may now be justly considered that the public archives constitute his enduring monument, on which are inscribed in characters not to be effaced, the proudest evidences of public gratitude for services rendered, and of sorrow for his death. A great and united people shed their tears over the bier of a devoted patriot and distinguished benefactor.

In conveying to you, my dear madam, the proposed respect of the two Houses of Congress for your person and character, and their condolence on the late afflicting dispensation of Providence, permit me to mingle my feelings with theirs, and to tender you my fervent wishes for your health, happiness and long life. JOHN TYLER.

Mrs. ANNA HARRISON.

In January, 1814, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier General; and was appointed to a command on the east side of Lake Champlain. Nothing of importance in the history of Gen. Macomb transpired, although he was constantly on the alert in the discharge of his duties, until the coronal of his fame was won at the defence of Plattsburg. This defence our limits will not permit us to describe with any minuteness, but suffice it to say, that, in the summer of 1814, Sir George Prevost, Governor General of the Canadas, had received a great augmentation of his regular forces, by detachments from the army which had fought in Spain and Portugal under the Duke of Wellington. These were among the best troops in the world, and he now determined to strike a blow upon our frontiers that should be decisive of the war, and bring our nation to terms at once. His fleet, on Lake Champlain, was considered superior to that of ours, and he was well informed that we had not there any army of consequence. Early in September he pushed on towards Plattsburg, and met, for several days, with little opposition. His error was delay; but he wished to move safely, and saw nothing to prevent his progress. Previous to the 11th, there had been some smart skirmishing, in which the British found more courage and efficiency than they expected, from troops so hastily called out. Early on the 11th the British gave JouN TYLER, President of the United States. battle by land and water-fifteen hundred of the regular army, and uncertain bodies of militia, made up Macomb's army. The enemy was fourteen thousand strong.

The battle was a decisive victory on the part of American forces; Macdonough captured the British fleet, and Sir George returned to Canada the next night. The victory was as brilliant as unexpected. Honors were voted Macomb in every part of the country. New York and Vermont were foremost in their tributes of respect. The President promoted him to the rank of major general, dating his commission on the day of his victory. The event had a happy effect on the negotiations then going on at Ghent, and unquestionably paved the way for a treaty of peace. After the close of the war he commanded at Detroit, his birth-place. He was received at this military post with distinguished honors; many remembered his person, and all

NORTH BEND, June 24, 1841. Dear Sir-I have received with sentiments of deep emotion the resolutions of the Senate and House of Representatives, which you have done me the honor of forwarding, relative to the decease of my lamented husband. I cannot sufficiently express the thanks I owe to the nation and its assembled Representatives, for their condolence, so feelingly expressed, of my individual calamity, and the national bereavement; but, mingling my tears with the sighs of the many patriots of the land, pray to Heaven for the enduring happiness and prosperity of our beloved country.

ANNA HARRISON.

Death of James Abercrombie, D. D.

On the 26th ult., in the 84th year of his age, the Rev. James Abercrombie, D. D. A venerable minister of God has been gathered to his fathers, who for many years adorned the pulpit of the Episcopal Church with his pure and fervid eloquence. He was not only eminent as a divine, but blended with the higher duties of his profession the attractive pursuits of literature, and shone conspicuously as a scholar. His mind was virtue, graced by every accomplishment which could improve and refine society. An amiability of disposition accompanied him through life, which endeared him to his family and friends. He was compelled by declining years to withdraw from the pulpit for some time before his death, but never ceased to take the most lively interest in the service of his Lord and Master.

Funeral Obsequies of Col. John Haslett.

On the morning of the 2d inst., according to the arrangements previously made, the remains of COL. JOHN HASLETT, were taken from the First Presbyterian Church on Washington Square, and under a military and civil escort, conveyed to Arch street wharf, from whence they were removed by steamboat to Delaware. The escort embraced a number of light companies, with the City Troop dismounted, accompanied by several bands of music, ali under the command of General Patterson. The Hearse was drawn by four black horses, and eight members of the Hibernian Society walked as pall bearers. The coffin containing the remains, was shrouded in the old flag belonging to the "First Troop," which identical flag was in the battle in which the brave Col. Haslett fell. The committee of superintendence appointed by the Legislature of Delaware and the President of the Hibernian Society, followed in Barouches, and various invited guests succeeded on foot. The Hibernian Society, with crape upon the left arm, followed as mourners, and the citizens of Delaware residing in the city as well as those out of it, concluded the procession. During the progress of the solemn pageant up Walnut and down Arch, "Independence Bell" tolled and minute guns were discharged by a detachment of Artillery on Washington Square. When the procession reached the wharf, the military opened, and the Hearse with the remains was taken on board of the boat, and in the presence of a vast concourse of people, officially delivered to the committee of the citizens of Delaware. Mr. Binns in behalf of the Hibernian Society, delivered an address, and Mr. Huffington replied in behalf of the citizens of Delaware. The Philadelphia Greys, under Capt. Cadwalder, and the Washington Greys, under Lieut. Fox, accompanied the remains, and will be present this afternoon at Dover in Delaware.-North American.

Detail of the rise and fall of the River Mississippi, at Vidalia, for twenty-five years--By Samuel Davis, Esq.

1817, March, rising rapidly; rising to the 1st of May. 17th, had fallen 2 inches; 22d June, had fallen 20 feet. September, rising; 15th December, wanted only 1 foot of being as high as in the spring.

1818, January 1, falling: 25th, rising; fell in February March 1st, very low for the season; began to rise, and continued to the 20th April, when it wanted a foot of being as high as last year, and 34 feet of being as high as in 1815, when it was higher than ever known before or it has been since. 15th September, rising; 10th October, falling. In November, it was as low as it had been for many years. 8th December, rising; 20th, falling.

ance.

1819, January, rose about 10 feet; 25th, falling; 10th February, rising; continued to rise until 4th March, when it began to fall. 10th, rising, and continued to rise until 27th May-being 10 inches higher than last year. 9th June, had fallen 18 inches; 24th, Missouri water made its appear15th November, river very low, being 50 feet lower than it was in the spring. December, rising slowly. 1820, 1st January, has risen 2 feet and is at a stand; 24th, rising; 10th March, wants 5 feet of being as high as last year; 17th, falling; 20th, rising; 5th April, falling, wanting 2 feet of being as high as last year; 9th, has fallen 8 inches; 25th, has fallen 8 feet and rising; 3d May, has risen 4 feet and falling; 1st December, rising.

1821, 10th January, has risen 35 feet and falling; fell 20 feet to 25th, and rising; 1st March, continues to rise at the rate of 2 inches in twenty-four hours, and only wants a foot of being as high as last year; 28th, heavy white frosts frequent during this month, and the ice this morning was onefourth of an inch thick; 30th March, falling, being 1 foot 8 inches higher than last year.

1822, January, rising; 1st February, more than half full; 19th, falling; 20th, rising slowly; 4th March, rising rapidly; 15th, falling; 4th April, has fallen 7 feet, and rising; 15th May, falling, wanting 2 feet of being as high as last year; 24th, has fallen 4 inches, and rising; 1st of June, rose 24 feet, and falling; 14th, has fallen 10 inches; 1st July, 3 feet; 20th, has fallen 5 feet and rising; 27th, falling; November, has risen 35 feet, and continued to rise until 23d December, when it began to fall, wanting 4 feet of being as high as in the spring. The Ohio river was higher this month than it has been for 6 years. Fell a few feet; 28th, rising, and continued to rise until 29th January, 1823, when it wanted only 4 inches of being as high as last spring. Fell 3 inches to the 1st of February, and began to rise; 13th, falling, being 8 inches higher than last spring. 15th February, weather remarkably cold, the thermometer at 7 o'clock, a. M. 40 degrees above zero, or 28 degrees below the freezing point; 4th March, river has fallen 9 feet and rising; 5th April, as high as it was in February, and rising; continued to rise until the 23d of May, when it wanted only 2 inches of being as high as the great flood of 1815. The spring has been remarkably wet-almost incessant rains from the 1st of March to the last of May-a long continuance of southerly gales, raised the waters of Pontchartrain and Maurepas, and inundated a part of the city of New Orleans, and the plantations on the eastern side of the river, as far up as Baton Rouge, Western Baton Rouge. The greater part of Point Coupé, and many plantations below, on both sides of the river, were inundated by breeches in the levees. Concordia, and both banks of the river, to the mouth of the Ohio, entirely overflown. 27th, falling; 1st June, has fallen 3 inches-but for its lower tributaries, Arkansas, Yazoo, &c., the river would have fallen here about the 5th of May, the Ohio and upper Mississippi having fallen in time to produce that effect. The Ouachita, Arkansas, White and Mississippi rivers at St. Louis, have been higher than for 40 years. 10th of June, has fallen 1 foot; 20th, has declined only 5 inches in the last 10 days, being checked by the rise of the Missouri; 24th, has fallen 15 inches; 1st of July, 20 inches; the water in the swamp has declined 6 feet; 10th, river has fallen 4 feet; 1st of August, 6 feet, and rising; 5th. VOL. V.-2

of August, rose 1 foot, and falling; 1st of November, low and falling; 1st December, very low, and continued so until

1824, 2d January, when it began to rise. 5th February,

within 8 feet of being as high as last year and beginning to fall; 17th, has fallen 12 feet and rising; 3d of March, has risen 9 feet and falling; fell 3 feet; 7th, rising; 1st April, rising at the rate of an inch in 24 hours; 30th April, stalast year, and flooding the low grounds; at the mouth of the tionary; 7th May, wants only 8 inches of being as high as Arkansas, it has been as high as it was last spring; 27th, has fallen 8 inches; 12th of June, remained stationary two weeks and is now falling; 22d of June, has fallen 24 feet and begins to rise; 8th, Missouri is higher than known for fall; 1st August, has fallen 3 feet and declines slowly; Septemmany years; 2d of July, has risen 4 inches and began to ber, low; 20th of November, low for the season and rising; 1st of December, has risen 10 feet and is falling; 9th, rising. 1825, 9th January, wants 6 feet of being as high as last spring and falling: 17th February, has fallen 30 feet and 1 foot of being as high as last year; 20th May, fallen 10 rising, 1st April, continues to rise; 2d May, falling, wanting inches and rising ; 24 June, has risen 2 inches; 16th, has fullen 8 inches; 24th, 3 feet; 1st July, 6 feet; 20th, 12 feet; 1st August, 20 feet.

1826, January 15th, the river is at low water mark, and with the exception of a 5 feet rise from the Arkansas, has continued at a low stage since August, 20th, rising; 3d February, has risen 12 feet and is falling; 25th, has fallen 10 feet and rising; 12th March, has risen very rapidly and banks nearly full; 25th April, falling.

1827, 8th February, very low-commenced rising; 20th, has risen 20 feet; 1st March, banks nearly full and rising; 23d March, wants 3 feet of being as high as last spring and begins to fall; 1st April, has fallen 24 feet and is stationary; 7th, rising; 26th at a stand, being 1 foot higher than on the 23d ult; 1st June, falling, 17th July, has fallen 20 feet; 21st, has risen 12 feet; 26th, falling; 10th August, has risen again and the banks nearly full; 16th October, low; December, rising.

1828, January, high and rising; 28th February, rising and the low grounds inundated; 26th March, is about as high as it was in 1823; 1st April, falling; 10th, has fallen 6 inches here and only 2 inches at Point Chicot; at New Orleans, it began to fall sooner than it did here; 1st May, has fallen 13 inches and is nearly stationary; 5th June, falling. The Red river has been higher than known for many years, Alexan dria overflown, falls a few inches, and rises again the last of the month. 1st July, only 15 inches lower than on the 16th May; 12th July, falling and continued to fall until the 1st November, when it was low; 1st December, rising.

1829, 1st January, has risen 15 feet since 1st December and is falling; 20th, has fallen 10 feet; 4th March, very low, trying to rise; 22d, has risen 20 feet and stationary; 1st April. falling; 18th, rising-about 12 feet bank; 26th, at a stand; 1st May rising slowly; 7th May, falling-wants 7 feet of being as high as last year; 1st June, has fallen 8 feet; 11th June, 16 feet; 1st July, 25 feet; August, falling; September, low; 15th October, has risen 8 feet; 14th December, was 15 feet of being at the top of the bank and rising.

1830, 1st January, falling-being 7 feet below the top of the bank; 16th, has fallen 5 feet and rising; 28th, falling; 25th February, near low water mark and begins to rise; 1st March, has risen 6 feet and continues to rise; 1st April, wants 5 feet of high water mark; 20th rising; 19th May, falling

wanting 2 feet of being as high as in 1829; 1st June, fallen 18 inches and begins to rise; 1st July, has risen 19 inches and is falling; 15th July, has fallen 5 feet; 26th July, 15 feet; October, lower than it has been for many years; 20th November, as low as ever known; December rising.

1831, January 1, has risen 20 feet-wants 13 feet of being at high water mark, 1st February has fallen 10 feet; 5th, rising; 20th, falling; 1st March, rising; 10th April, rising; 7th May, falling-wanting 3 inches of being as high as last year; 6th June, fallen 3 feet; 1st November, low, but rising; December 27th, near low water mark.

1832, 12th January, rising; 1st February, 15 feet bank; 25th rising--5 feet bank; the river Ohio has been higher

1835, January, low; 1st February, rising; 8th, thermome-delay to express, through him, my own views and wishes in ter at 6 A. M., 3 degrees below zero; 16th, river within 10 feet of the top of the banks; 24th, has fallen 12 feet; 1st March, rising; 5th river two-thirds full; 21st, 20 feet bank and river rising, 16th April, falling-wanting 6 feet of being to the top of the banks; 20th April, has fallen 6 feet and is rising-continued to rise until the 3d June, when it was within 3 feet of the top of its banks; 22d June, has fallen 18 inches and continues to fall slowly; 1st November, rising; 8th December, being 8 feet to the top of its banks and falling.

I have instructed this gentleman to await the pleasure of the Department; as soon as that is understood, he is to return to me. If your duties admit of it, I would be gratified to receive a visit from you.