USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 1 > Part 24
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appointment. Thas a kind providence (though mach against his own will) permitted Captain Collins and his men to escape the disaster by which the first army of the North was overtaken. They, however, held themselves in readiness for the next call. It was determined, in the course of the Summer, to furnish the army en the north- ern frontier with an additional number of troops from Ohio. The counties of Hamilton, Clermont. Warren, and Butler were to make up onc battalion, the counties farther north to make up another, the two to compose one regiment. Early in August he received orders to march with his company to the town of Lebanon, in the county of Warren, the place appointed for the rendezvous of the troops from the counties first named. Accordingly be gare notice to the men composing the rifle company to parade in Hamilton on the tenth day of August, 1812, and a com- pany ninety-two streng, including officers, was on the ground that day, a muster-roll of which was then madle out, and was in his possession for many years. It is as follows :
MUSTER ROLL OF CAPTAIN JOEL COLLINS'S VOLUNTEER COMPANY OF RIFLEMEN.
Coplain-Joel Collins.
Lieutenant -- Ephraim Gard.
Ensign-John Hall.
Sergeants -Jeremiah Gard, David Sutton, Joseph Haines, John Price.
Corporate-Zachariah Parrish, Joseph Douglas, George Sut- ton, Jacob Gar:1.
Musicians-Hays Taylor, ferry Thompson. PRIVATES.
John Scott, George Tengarden, Willian Heath.
John Maione,
George Bepler, Thomas Howari,
Samuel Gray. Silas Owoas John Harper,
William Smith, Samuel Stephens, William Button.
Isaac Watson. George Buyers,
Andrew Woods,
Nicholas Woodfia, Peter Garver, John Tsanes,
John Shields, .
Henry Jones,
Patrick Sullivan,
Samuel Steel, Archibald starts,
Andrew Smith,
Benjamin Pines.
Joseph McMahon,
Jame- MeNeal,
vivo. Kirkpatrick, john Stailey, John Deneen.
Jacob Rinehart,
Andrew Lintner, Jecol Pickard.
Richard Seott,
Jacob Garver, Jarnb Ken,
William Teagard,
John Simmons, Thomas Stephens,
W'm. In Camp.
Robert Taylor,
Rubinse: New kirk, James Smiley,
John Brown,
John Thompson, Joseph Welliver,
Simeon Broadis rry. William MeManis, Lane Rutledge.
Jane's Broadberry, Jacob Salmon,
Rol vit Crane
Thomas Wilson, John SieKinstry,
Moses Gard.
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James Anderson, John Sarkett.
Robert Orion.
James Martin.
Vincent Dileoc. William Sullivan.
Paymaster Torrence wrote to Majorgeneral Jalaur .
who commanded the other title company, received the . Ganso, concerning them, as follows:
Jacob Gates,
John Hyde,
Samuel Malone,
John Smiley,
James Cooper.
Samuel Thompson, Chris. Most Her, David Smith,
James Kerr.
Joseph Wiekari,
Wexander Steele,
Samuel Simpson.
Eber Wat-on,
Willien Rutiny,
Joseph Price, John Stonebraker, John Bore,
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THE WAR OF 1812.
" FORT HAMILTON, August 17, 1812 ..
"SIR :- Captain Collins has agreed to meet the de- lachment at Lebanon, as you wished. I promised to them payment of his company about ten o'clock. He has really one of the finest companies I ever saw; some- where about one hundred strong. They are as fine, cheer- ful a set of fellows as can be well placed in exercise. Whatever is offered to them, they are ready and willing to march when and where they are wanted. I expect to be in Cincinnati to-morrow. They have some tents, and are preparing more. They expect orders from you for marching. I am, sir, respectfully,
" Your obedient servant, "GEORGE P. TORRENCE."-
They then marched to Lebanon, where they were joined by three other rifle companies, under Captains MeMeans, Leonard, and Hinkle, a company of artillery, under Captain Joseph Jenkinson, and a company of light infantry, under Captain Matthias Corwin. The com- missioned officers met in the evening, and elected Captain Joseph Jenkinson major. The command of his company devolved on Lieutenant Gibson. Thus organized, they next day took up their line of march for Urbana, making quite a formidable appearance. But before reaching the town of Dayton, they received the news that Hull and the whole of his army were made prisoners by the enemy, and that the British, with their Indian allies, were rapidly advancing upon the frontier settlement of the State.
At Urbana they were joined by the second battalion, under the command of Major James Galloway, of Xenia. The commissioned officers of these battalions elected Da- vid Sutton, of Warren County, to connnand the regiment. Colonel Satton had raised a company, and gone out with the first army as a captain, had been sent into the interior by General Hull, for the purpose of transacting some business connected with the army, and was with Jenkin- kinson's battalion on his return, when they received the it telligence of Hull's surrender.
General Hu'l, who was an old and esteemed officer of the Revolutionary army, was in command of the forces on our frontier. Being without proper support. and with- out provisions, he surrendered his troops to the British, on the 16th of Angust, 1812. A storm was innediately raised about his head, he was court-martialed, and his countrymen mentioned his name, for years, with only less detestation than that of Benedict Arnold. So strong was the feeling of patriotism which pervaded the country at that time, that it appeared as if every able-bodied man, whether old or young, who could possibly raise a horse al gun, was on the move for the frontier, and in a few days a large and promiscuous multitude were collected in and about Urbana. But they were without leaders. and knew not what to do. At length Governor Meigs :nul General Tupper, with other leading characters, appeared on the ground, with the agreeable news. that General
Harrison was coming on to take command. Harrison was then governor of Indiana Territory. and had been invited to Frankfort, Kentucky, by Charles Scott, governor of Kentucky, to consult on the subject of defending the northwestern frontier. Governor Scott, on the 25th of August, 1812, appointed William Henry Harrison major- general of the Kentucky militia, which appointment he accepted. This measure, although complained of by some at the time, appears to have answered a good purpose. The supposed defection of General Hall bad implanted a spirit of suspicion and distrust in the minds of both officers and men, and some of them were not slow to express themselves unwilling to enter the service vader the coni- mand of any but a man of acknowledged patriotisin, and who possessed at least some experience in the art of war. The year before he had gained a brilliant victory over the Indians at the battle of Tippecanoe. The appoint- ment of General Harrison, therefore, seemed to be a measure called for by the public feeling at the time. On the seventeenth day of September following the President of the United States appointed General Harrison com- mander-in-chief of all the troops in the Northwestern Territory.
Governor Meigs gave orders for the troops to spread out for the protection of the frontier. It was deemed proper, in making arrangements, to divide Colonel Fut- ton's regiment : and Major Jenkinson, with his battalion, was ordered to file to the left, by way of Troy and Pima, in the direction of Fort Wayne, while the colonel, with Galloway's battalion, joined the troops destined to form the center line, and took up his line of march in the di- rection of Fort McArthur. Soon after Jenkinson's arrival at Piqua, General Harrison, with two or three regiments from Kentucky, appeared on the left wing, and assumed the comman.l.
Major Jenkinson called a meeting of his captains, soen after, and informed them that he had orders to send one company as au escort of a train of wagons on their way to Fort Wayne; one company to act as road-cutters, to open a wagon-way along Wayne's old trace from Fort Loramies to St. Mary's; and another company to relieve a company of militia from Ohio, stationed at Loramies: the remainder of the battalion to remain at Piena tor further orders. Major Jenkinson permitted the captains to decide the matter by lot, as to what company should be assigned to each particular duty. Tickets were ac- cordiugly prepared, and placed in a hat. On draw- ing them ont, it fell to the lot of Captain Collins and his company to open the road. They performed that duty in about eight days, and were directed to romain in their last encampment. One night, about ten o'clock. while they were lying at that place, Lieutenant Na- thaniel McClain came to them, as an express, to in- form them that Captain Corwin's company, which was acting as an escort to twenty wagons loaded with vahsible supplies for the army, was enemmaped abont three miles
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
in their rear; that there was good reason to apprehend that a party of Indians intended to make an attack on the escort before morning; and that Captain Corwin wished Captain Collins to re-enforce him with as many men as he could spare. Captain Collins soon had his company on parade, and was obliged to make a detail of men to remain and keep their own camp, for every man wanted to go to the relief of his comrades. Captain Collins, with more than half his company, moved off' iu quick time. Lieutenant McClain led the way, he being mounted on a horse furnished him by the wagoners. When Captain Collins arrived at the camp, Captain Cor- win was hinself going the rounds, relieving his guards, at that part of the line of sentinels which they first reached. He informed Captain Collins that a consider- able number of the Wabash Indians (who pretended friendship for the whites) had visited the settlements in the neighborhood of Piqua, with the expectation that the inhabitants would afford them maintenance through the Winter. But our army needed all the spare provisions. and the people, after these Indians had been among them a few weeks, became tired of them, and insisted on their returning to their own homes. They had left in rather an angry mood, two or three days before the departure of the wagons for Fort Wayne. It was also reported to him, by some of his men, that Indians had been seen in the dusk of the evening near his encampment, apparently in the act of spying ont his position. Besides, it seemed reasonable to suppose that the contents of the wagons afforded a strong temptation to a band of starving sav- ages, who, they had every reason to believe, were within striking distance, and who knew that they were loaded with the provisions they so much needed. He had thrown out a guard sufficiently strong to form a close chain of sentinels entirely around his encampment, at least one hundred and fifty paces in advance of the wagons. It was decided that out of the re-enforcements now arrived, a second chain of sentinels should be made fifty paces in advance of the first line. Accordingly, Cap ain Collins proceeded to place at that distance one of his men oppo- site to each space between the sentinels of the first chain. While in the performance of that duty, Collins heard the snap of fi musket, nearly in the direction he was going. " Hail, sentinel !"
"Who comes there?"
"Captain Collins, on his way placing out another line of sentinels."
"Good Lord! If my musket had not missed fire, you would have been a dead man."
"CO the sergeant to go round and let the guards know of this arrangement."
gestion, as he claimed to outrank him because of his age and experience, though it was a military blunder that had nearly cost him his life.
The encampment was not disturbed by the Indians during the night, but in the opinion of those experienced in Indian warfare, it was believed that the care and vig- ilance of the escort in guarding against a surprise pre- vented them from making the attempt. It will be recol- lected that these same Indiaus shortly afterward became so hostile and took sueli a decided part against the whites that a regiment of six hundred inen, composed of a few regulars, a volunteer company from Pennsylvania, and some militia from Kentucky and Ohio, were sent out under the command of Colonel Campbell of the regular army, to drive them from their towns and destroy their habitations. But before the colonel could finish, the Iu- dianis collected in great numbers, and gave him battle. Colonel Campbell and his men, however, being on their guard and well prepared, succeeded in repulsing the enemy, with the loss, on bis part, of some fifty men in killed and wounded.
There are many well known instances where the In- dians have abandoned a meditated attack because they could not find the white people off their guard, and therefore could not take them by surprise. Now, if Col- onel Campbell of the standing army has justly received the applause of his countrymen for saving himself with the loss of fifty men killed and wounded, there can be no impropriety in thinking well of a young militia cap- tain who, by his own care and the vigilance of bis men, saved all without losing any thing.
The hostile Indians on the Wabash and Illinois having thrown themselves wider the protection of the British, General Winchester Jeft a small garrison for the protec- tion of Fort Wayne, and moved with his army down the Maumee. In the mean time, General Harrison had re- ceived his commission of major-general in the regular army of the United States. He had ordered Colonel William Jeanings to jom General Winchester at old Fort Defiance, at the mouth of the Auglaize River, with a large drove of beef cattle and other army supplies. Col- onel Jennings was advised of the probable time at which General Winchester would arrive at Defiance, and was ordered not to advance nearer than ten or fifteen miles without having certain intelligence that the army had arrived there. Our spies, however, discovered that ohl Fort Defiance, at which they were to form this junction, was ocenpied by the British and Indians, at least three days after the time set for General Winchester's arrival there. This intelligence was immediately communicated by express to the commanding general at St. Mary's, who ordered that the troops at that place should forthwith be supplied with three days' rations, and an additional sup- ply of gun-flints and ammunition; and by three o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, Colonels Page's and
Here was an error committed for want of thoughit. A notice of the plan adopted shoal! have been given to the sentinels before its execution commenced. Mr. Col- lins, however, said he could not well censure Captain Corwin for not performing that duty or making the sug- 1 Barbee's cegiments of Kentucky volunteers, Colonel Sin-
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THE WAR OF 1812.
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rall's regiment of dragoons, Garrard's troop of horse (also from Kentucky), and Captain Collins's company of rifle- men, from Butler County, Ohio, amounting in all to up- ward of two thousand men, were put in motion on a forced march, to ascertain what had become of General Winchester ; the light horse in front, Captain Collins's company of riflemen forming the rear-guard. The troops marched on at a quick step in this order until it became dark, when a halt was called. General Harrison, in rid- ing round to form the hollow square, ordered Captain Collins to fill up with his company the space in the rear line, between the two Kentucky regiments of infantry, and to throw out a guard sufficiently strong to protect his own front. At the break of day next morning, the bugles sounded, and they were again in motion. Shortly after sunrise it commenced raining, and continued to rain hard all day. But they pushed on, without making a single halt, until four o'clock in the afternoon, when they arrived at Jennings' encampment, at the mouth of the Little Auglaize. The men, being burdened with heavy packs and drenched in the rain, had a most fatiguing and disagreeable day's travel. Toward evening it was observed that numbers of the Kentuckians were lying by the way-side, entirely exhausted and unable to pro- coed. Many of them were young gentlemen who bad been delicately raised, and were unaccustomed to hard- ships of this kind. Captain Collins, and Ensien John Hall of his company (being originally from Kentucky); were rather disposed to sympathize with then; Lieutenant Ephraim Gard, of the company, when he came to where any number of them had given out, would sing out at the top of his voice, "Hook up, my rugged sons of Ohio, these brave Kentnekians will soon be able to relieve the rear guard." As further provocation, some of the riffe- men would spring up and strike their heels together, as they passed. General Harrison was informed by an ex- press, which met him at Fort Jennings, that the enemy had retreated, and that General Winchester, with his army, now occupied the ground at Fort Defiance. He thereupon gave orders that the regiments of Colonels Barbee and Poage, and Captain Collins's company of riflemen, should remain at Fort Jennings until further orders, and he continued his marel for Defiance. On the next morning, Colonel Jennings (with whom Captain Col- lins had been acquainted in Kentucky, and to whom he had reported himself on the previous evening) came to where Captain Collins's company were encamped, and inquired for some mon called mounted rangers (a small company of whom had been for some time in the comply of the army as spies), stating that General Harrison had in- formed him that some of those meu were in the rear, and would be up that night ; and left orders that one or Two of them should be sent with two friendly Indians to ascertain whether the enemy in retreating had not taken the direction of Fort Wayne. Captain Collins was nu- able to give him any account of the men inquired for.
Colonel Jennings appeared to be much disappointed, and expressed his fears that the general would not receive the needful information in time. Captain Collins toll bim .that rather than that should be the case. if the general had left no orders for the disposition of his company, he would, if furnished with a good horse, go with the Is- dians, make the examination, and report to the general that night. This offer was readily accepted.
A horse and saddle were soon provided for Captain Collins. As soon as he was mounted Colonel Jennings brought to him the two Indians and James Conner, an interpreter. The Indian guides were young men, sahi to be brothers, belonging to a tribe residing on the Anglaize River. They were directed to pilot Captain Collins to a point on the Maumee River, six miles above old Fort Defiance. One of the guides, through the interpreter, requested Captain Collins to remove a handkerchief which he had tied on his head, and by all means to keep his hat on; for there was danger of their being taken as be- longing to the enemy and fired on by the Kentuckians. Captain Collins took the hint, and complied with the request. The Colonel ordered him to satisfy himself by a careful examination whether the enemy had or had not evaded the army of General Winchester, and were still on their march for Fort Wayne. They then started on their journey, and after they were clear of the en- campment the elder of the two guides gave Captain Col lins to understand that; while they would be careful to keep the proper course, the other man and Collins were to keep a good lookout in every direction, intimating that there was danger of their falling in with the enemy. By pushing their horses as fast as they were able to go, they arrived at. Maumee River, above Defiance. a short time before night, and by the time they had made an exam- ination sufficient to satisfy themselves that the enemy had not taken that direction, it commenced getting dark. Captain Collins being much fatigued, and observing that the horses needed rest and time to feed, proposed that they should encamp for the night ; but the guides in- sisted that they could find the main army that night, and by siguis gave him to understand that it was not more than four miles distant. Accordingly, they hurried ou, and about nine o'clock came in hearing of horse-bells, upon which the guides halted; and when Captain Collins came up, one of them, pacing his mouth close to Col- ling's ear, said, in a low voice :
"Hallison, Haliison."
" Yes, yes," Collins replied, " General Harrison is here: come on;" and took his position in front of the guides. It was so dark that they were unable to see each other. They, however, scon vante to a piece of rising ground which brought them in full view of the fires of the encampment, which extetoled dowa the river as far as they could see. When they came to where they -up- posed they were near the chain of sentinels, the Indians comnaenced hurrying their horses by a peculiar kind of
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
language, mixed with coughing and whistling, sufficiently loud to apprise the guards of their approach. In a short time they were hailed by a sentinel, not more than twenty pares in advance of them.
" Who comes there?"
"Two friendly Indians and a white man who have been out spying by order of General Harrison. Can we pass ?"
" Well, I suppose you may go along."
In the same manner they hailed at the guard-fire, and were permitted to pass into the encampment. This want of vigilance grew out of the necessity there was for per- mitting the horsemen to pass out and return through the chain of sentinels, for the purpose of procuring grass for their horses. At length they came to where they heard quite an animated and apparently warm conversation, which seemed to be going on in a maiquee near the center of the encampment. Among the voices engaged Captain Collins rettlily recognized that of the command- ing general; upon which he dismounited, leaving his horse in the care of the guides.
On General Harrison coming out, Captain Collins made himself and his business known to him. General Harrison expressed some surprise at seeing him there, and inquired what he had done with his company. To which Captain Collins gave an explanation, and was about to report the discoveries made by him as a spy, when General Harrison interrupted him by saying that the enemy had left the neighborhood and retreated down the river some five or six days before. At the request of General Harrison, Captain Collins went with him to his marquce.
The next morning Captain Collins was ordered by General Harrison to retrace bis steps to Fort Jennings, take command of his company, and return to St. Mary's, where they went into Winter quarters and remained until their term of service expired, in March, 1813, when they were discharged and returned to their homes. While Captain Collins and his company remained at St. Mary's, some of the officers in command of the Kentucky troops,. who were continually passing and repassing, stated to a part of his company, who were on detached duty, that they knew Captain Collins from a boy, and that if ever he came in contact with the enemy they would find him to be "a fighting man."
Some of the Kentuckiaus at times felt themalves at liberty to charge the Ohioaus with cowardice in not rush- iug to the relief of Fort Wayne when it was besieged by the enemy. This produced : high feeling, and often oe- casioned words. But as it was known that Captain Col- lins was on the line, and bad the command of a rifle company from Ohio, there were a fow old officers among the Koutuckian : who were not slow to make an exception in his favor. Every member of the ride company from Butler County, at the expiration of their term of service. returned home in safety, without a sen. They had not
the fortune to be ordered into battle; consequently, the; returned uniucumbered with those laurels and high hou. ors which some imagine can only be obtained on the battle-field. Still it is justly claimed for them that they did good service in opening roads, making water-craft to transport supplies down the St. Mary's River, and puch- ing on provisions and other needful supplies for the are of the army. They did their duty by promptly perform- ing any service that was required of them by those in command.
Immediately after Mr. Collins returned home, in 1813, he received the appointment of captain in the standing army of the United States, and was ordered to proceed to Cincinnati and enlist men for the service. He soon had! twenty-three men culisted, when he was ordered to rendez- vous at Franklinton. He left Hamilton in company with Lieutenant Alexander Delorac early in the month of Oc- tober, and proceeded to Fraukliuton, where they remained about a month, when they were ordered to Samlucky, and from thence to Detroit, where he was stationed for some time. On the 4th of March, 1814, he was appointed to the command of the force at Sandwich, in Canada, and proceeded to build the fort at that place. He was also, for a short time, commander of Fort Malden, in Canada. He was afterward ordered back to Detroit, where he took command of the place, and continued in the service antil the close of the war in 1815, when he retired from the army with credit and honor to himself. He then returned to his farm in Oxford Township. During the time tap. tain Collins was in the army he disbursed considerable sums of money on account of the government, and when he retired from the service his accounts were promptly closed, and a small balance found due to bian from the government by the accounting officers.
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