The way was opened for Harrison's advance, and for his suc-
cess on the River Thames. In the northwest the die had fallen
in our favor.
Changes in Command.
In March, 1814, General Wilkinson was relieved from his
command by War Department orders and, later, was brought
to trial on a number of serious charges alleging misconduct
during his campaign on the St. Lawrence. Before the court
he showed that his movements had been by the direction and
with the approval of the War Department itself, the Secretary
of War and the Adjutant-General having been present in
person, and that the inefTectiveness of his movement on Mon-
treal could be ascribed mainly to General Hampton's failure
to support him. He was acquitted and at once resigned his
commission. General Harrison, also suffering from the inter-



52 HISTORY OF TWENTY-FIRST U. S. INFANTRY

ference of the Secretary of War, with whom he found himself
in disfavor, resigned in disgust, and the public began to lay
the blame for the disgraceful conditions existing among our
land forces upon the War Department.
General Dearborn had retired on account of ill health;
General Hampton had resigned and returned to his estates,
while Generals Winchester, Chandler and Winder were still
prisoners in the hands of the enemy.
On January 24th, 1814, Brigadier-Generals Brown and Izard
were commissioned Major-Generals. A little later Colonels
Macomb, T. A. Smith, Bissell, Scott, Gaines and Ripley were
promoted to be Brigadier-Generals. On Wilkinson's resigna-
tion, Brown became the commander of the Army of the North.
