History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 14

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HORSES. CATTLE.

Sandusky township 33

Croghan township. 21

Portage township

151

Riley township 26

169

Ballville township 35

122

Green Creek township. 28

165

Townsend township 10

123

York township

153

Total in the county 201

1012

The total amount of taxes charged on the tax duplicate for the year 1824 was two hundred and ninety-five dollars and eighty- two cents.

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

HOW THE FIRST COURT HOUSE WAS BUILT.

October 27, 1817, the proprietors of land on the west side of the river laid out and recorded the plat of the town of Sandusky on the west side of the river. The location of the county seat became a question of hot contest between Croghansville and the new town of Sandusky. After much discussion, commissioners to settle the question of difference were appointed by the General Assembly of the State. On viewing the ground and hearing the arguments and propositions of each party, these commissioners finally decided in favor of the west side. In platting the town of Sandusky the proprietors had set apart on their plat a square containing about half an acre of land, and dedicated it to the county for a court house, and another square of equal size (marked B) for jail and offices. Sandusky county not then having been organized, the plat of this survey was recorded in Huron county, of which Sandusky then formed a part. The proprie- tors who signed this plat of the town of Sandusky were: Thomas L. Hawkins, for self and Thomas E. Boswell; Morris A. Newman; William Oliver, for self and company; Israel Harrington, for self and E. P .; Josiah Rumery,

The following extract, from the county commissioners' record in the book above referred to, is interesting for several reasons, among which are: that it shows the manner of doing public business in those days, and also the names of a number of the pioneers who settled at Lower Sandusky and vicinity, and who were leading men in public affairs in 1822:

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

We, the undersigned, citizens of the county of Sandusky, do hereby bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, firmly, pay unto the commissioners of said county the following sums set opposite our names respectively, for the purpose of building a courthouse, etc., provided the permanent seat of justice shall be located in the village of San-

dusky, the same to be paid as follows, by the first day of April, 1823.

NAMES.

Cash.

Labor.

Produce.

Materials.

Aggregate.

Cyrus Hulburd.

$50

$50 $100 $200

$400

Harvey J. Harmon.

Benjamin Wheat.

Israel Harrington

100

Calvin Leezen.

100

E. W. Howland.

Richard Sears

William Andrews.

William McClellan ..

George and J. S. Olmstead. David Gallagher.

100

Lysander C. Ball. Nicholas Whitinger.

Moses Nichols.

Thomas L. Hawkins

155

Jacob Bowlus

Joseph Loveland ..

Daniel Brainard

Asa B. Gavit.

Ezra Williams.

John W. Tyler.

Daniel Tindall.

Sylvanus Bixby.

John Custard.

by M. T. Williams ..

100

200

400

David Chambers.

by C. Hulburd.

Totals.

$235 $305 $515 $745 $1795

Morris Tyler ..

Charles B. Fitch.

John Drury.

Martin Baum, of Cincinnati,

Ebenezer Granger & Co.,

Now let the reader realize, if possible, the actual surroundings of the few people in it when the county was organized. To do this, it must be remembered that at that time its surface, like that of northwestern Ohio generally, was an almost unbroken wilderness, and with the exception of a few small spots of wet prairie, covered by a dense forest of tall trees, here and there a lonely, tortuous footpath or bridleway through the woods made by the Indians in travelling from stream to stream, no wagon-ways but those through the woods along the river, made for the movement of troops during the wars; no roadbeds on these but the soft, wet, earth walled on each side and covered overhead by tall forest trees, among and around which the road was continually winding. As to the means of subsistence, the cornfield

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

and garden furnished bread and vegetables; fish were very abundant and conveniently procured from the rivers and creeks. Probably half the meat used by the inhabitants was obtained by the use of the rifle among the deer and turkeys in the woods, and ducks and geese along the streams. For a number of years during the early settlement on the Sandusky River, corn bread made of meal of Indian corn, was the only bread, and the meal was made in two ways: One was, by grating the corn before it entirely hardened, on a grater made by punching a sheet of tin full of small holes, and taking the rough side for the grater. The tin was bent into an arch, rough side out, and the sides nailed to a shingle or piece of wood. On this rough surface the fresh ear of corn was

rubbed until the corn was grated from the cob. The other method was to dry the shelled corn until it was hard and brittle and then placing it In a wooden mortar pound it to meal with a wooden pestle.

These brief statements may give some Idea of the condition of the country and of the people who launched Sandusky county into civil life and power, and laid the foundations of her prosperity, and the happiness of her people.

We place these statements on record here, so that when years shall have rolled past, and the county shall be thickly peopled and all its resources fully developed, the curious may be able to compare the county from the beginning, and reckon the course and distance of her progress.

CHAPTER VIII (a). FORT STEPHENSON.

FREMONT, OHIO, August 22, 1877. Hon. Homer Everett:

DEAR SIR: You are hereby requested 'by the city council of this city to furnish for publication an his- torical account of the defence of Fort Stephenson, and the purchase and dedication of the site of the fort for a public park. Hoping this request will meet with your approbation, we remain,

Yours, etc., C. R. MCCULLOCH, President of the Council.

W. W. STINE, City Clerk.

In compliance with the request in the foregoing resolution, I submit to the Mayor and council of the city of Fremont the following memoranda of events connected with Fort Stephenson (or Fort Sandusky).

THE NAME.

The histories of the War of 1812 use two names to designate this fort. In an account of the battle here, published in March, A. D. 1815, Volume V., of the Port-Folio, a monthly pamphlet published

by Oliver Oldschool, it is called Fort Sandusky. In late publications and histories both names are used to designate the place, as "Fort Stephenson or Lower Sandusky." [Western Annals, by James H. Parker, page 544; Historical Collections of Ohio, by Henry Howe, pages 448 and 449; History of the Maumee Valley, by H. S. Knapp, page 183.]

The name of Fort Sandusky was naturally derived from the river, near which it was situated. The other appellation of Fort Stephenson (or Stevenson, for it is spelled both ways in published histories,) was probably given to the place because Colonel Stevenson at one time commanded the post. The following general order shows that he was in command on and before the 14th of May, 1813:

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

GENERAL ORDERS.

HEADQUARTERS, LOWER SANDUSKY,

14th May, 1813.

The troops which now form the garrison at Lower Sandusky will be relieved today by a detachment furnished by His Excellency, General Meigs, to the senior officer of which Colonel Stevenson will deliver the post and public property in his possession.

The militia belonging to General Wadsworth's division, now at this place, will, as soon as relieved, commence their march for Cleveland, where they will remain for the protection of that town.

Colonel Stevenson will furnish the senior officer of this detachment with a copy of this order, and the quartermaster here will provide the means of a transport for them. By order,

R. GRAHAM, Adjutant.

The following report is the first instance I have found where the name "Fort Steph- enson" was authentically used. It seems to be a report on the transportation to be furnished under the preceding order, but the spelling of Stevenson, I notice, is changed:

FORT STEPHENSON, May 22, 1813. May it Please Your Excellency:

SIR: Agreeably to your orders, sent by Mr. Bishop, I have forwarded all the articles specified therein. The carriages on which they are to be mounted have not yet arrived, but are daily expected, as teams have been sent from this place under an escort from the garrison. If you deem it necessary that one of the carriages should be forwarded to Cleveland, the same will he done, on your order. Considerable manual labor has been done on the garrison since you left this place, and improvements are daily making.

The troops in general in the garrison are afflicted with bad colds. No epidemic or contagious disorder prevails. One person has been buried since you left this post. He came from Fort Meigs with a part of the baggage of Major Todd.

No news, or any apprehension of danger.

By order of Major Commanding.

R. E. POST, Adjutant.

R. J. MEIGS, Governor State of Ohio.

My memory holds, clearly, events as early as 1825, and events earlier. I have lived here since the year 1815, and ever since my earliest recollection the fort has been known in the locality as "Fort Stevenson."

WHEN AND BY WHOM CONSTRUCTED.

I am unable to find any data by which to determine the exact time when the con- struction of the fort was begun. By the treaty of Greenville, between the United States, represented by Anthony Wayne, and the hostile tribes of Indians in the territory northwest of the Ohio River, August 3, 1815, the United States obtained title to a number of tracts of land, called afterwards reservations, in different parts of the territory. Among those was a tract of land two miles square at the lower rapids of the Sandusky River. They also obtained by the same treaty the right of way to and from each of these several tracts. Wayne was an experienced Indian fighter, and had then effectually subdued them; and knowing their character, no doubt anticipated further hostilities. His wise foresight is remarkably displayed in the selection of these parcels of land for advantageous military posts and forts.

The next we know of military operation here was on the 18th of January, 1813, when General Harrison hastened here from Upper Sandusky, and on that morning sent forward a battalion of troops to the support of Winchester in his march to Detroit.

The next mention of the place in military history is found in a general report to United States Secretary of War John Armstrong, under date of "Headquarters, foot of the Miami Rapids, 11th February, 1813," in which, while giving his intended disposition of his forces, he wrote: "A company will be placed at Upper Sandusky, and another at Lower Sandusky."

He does not in this communication apply the term "fort" in connection with either place. Hence, a fair inference that at the date of this report no fort had been constructed.

I therefore conclude that the fort was built between the 11th of February, 1813,

100

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

and the 14th of May following, by Colonel Stevenson, who was relieved at the date last mentioned, by the order first above quoted.

That it was improved by the detachment sent to his relief, as shown by the foregoing report of Adjutant R. E. Post, under date of May 22, 1813, and was completed by Major Croghan (pronounced Crohan) after he took command of it, which was on or about the 15th of July, 1813. [Portfolio, Vol. V., page 216, published March, 1815.] The same communication to the Portfolio has the fol- lowing:

No doubt was entertained that the enemy would visit Sandusky. Accordingly Colonel Croghan labored day and night to place the fort (which had received no advantages from nature or art) in a State of defence. The necessity of cutting a ditch round the fort immediately presented itself to him. This was done; but in order to render the enemy's plans abortive, should they succeed in passing the ditch (which was nine feet wide and six feet deep), he had large logs placed on top of the fort, and so adjusted that an inconsiderable weight would cause them to fall from their position, and crush to death all who might be situated below.

The walls of the fort were made of logs, some round and some flat on one side, being half of larger pieces of timber, averaging about eighteen inches in thickness, set firmly in the earth, perpendicularly, each picket crowded closely against the other and about ten feet high, sharpened at the top. The walls inclosed about one acre of ground on a bluff formed by the hills, bounding the valley of the river on the east of the fort, and a ravine running in a northeasterly direction, cutting through the bluff north of the fort.

After Croghan arrived at the fort he had a ditch six feet deep and nine feet wide, dug around it outside; throwing about half the earth against the foot of the pickets, and grading it sharply down to the bottom of the ditch. The other portion of earth was thrown on the outer

bank of the ditch, thus increasing the depth from the top of the outer bank.

Our esteemed citizen, J. P. Moore, informed the writer a few years since that he had a conversation with one James Kirk, then of Michigan, but since deceased. Kirk was then on a visit to Fremont, and guest of Mr. Moore. He informed Mr. Moore that he (Kirk) was here in the spring of 1813, and worked on the fort, and, being a blacksmith by trade, put the hinges on the gate of an addition to the fort; that an additional area was enclosed that spring and fore part of the summer equal to the area of the original fort.

This fact accounts for what might otherwise appear singular, viz: A blockhouse or bastion near the middle of the north ditch. Kirk also mentioned a storehouse then erected, built of peeled logs, which, being higher than the other buildings and not so strong, was battered down by the enemy's cannon during the siege. In this house, Kirk said, was stored a quantity of hard bread intended for the support of the men in Perry's fleet, which was expected up the lake about that time. Kirk was sent to Fort Seneca shortly before the battle, and was, consequently, not present during the engagement. But he returned shortly after, and for many years worked at his trade in this place. He was long known to the writer when a boy, and was a good citizen and an honorable, truthful man.

THE ATTACK AND DEFENCE OF THE FORT.

Having raised the siege of Camp Meigs, the British sailed around into Sandusky Bay, while a competent number of their savage allies marched across through the swamps of Portage River, to cooperate in a combined attack on Lower Sandusky, expecting, no doubt, that General Harrison's attention would be chiefly directed to forts Winchester and Meigs. The General

ASSAULT OF FORT STEPHENSON, AUGUST 1, 1813.

WOODS

Advance of BRITISH

LANDING

RAVIME

2. M. F.

PRAIRIE

(Cornfield.)

SPRINGE

INDEX-

1. Pickets.

2. Embankment from ditch to and against the pickets.

FEED

(Head of Navigation.)

Outward Embankment. 4.

A. Block-house first attacked by five cannon.

CREEK

B. Bastion from which the ditch was raked by Col. Croghan's six-pounder (Good Old Bess.)

C. Guard Block-house.

RAVINE

D. Hospital.

E. Storehouses.

CREEK

G. Magazine.

H. Fort gate.

(Prairie.)

K. Wicker gates.

L. Partition gate.

M. Mortars.

P. Graves of British officers.

- GUM BOATS

5 BATTERY

+++4

PLAIN

ROAD to UPPER SANDUSKY

EWORDS

3. Dry ditch 9 feet wide, and 6 feet deep.

ADVANCE of 200 GRENADIERS -

PLAN OF FORT STEPHENSON AND BATTLE OF LOWER SANDUSKY. (FOR DESCRIPTION SEE HISTORY.)

SANDUSKY RIVER

F. Commissary's Storehouse.

101

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

however, had calculated on their taking this course, and had been careful to keep patrols down the bay, opposite the mouth of the Portage, where he supposed their forces would debark.

Several days before the British had invested Fort Meigs, General Harrison, with Major Croghan and some other officers, had examined the heights which surrounded Fort Stephenson; and as the hill on the opposite or southeast side of the river was found to be the most commanding eminence, the General had some thoughts of removing the fort to that place, and Major Croghan declared his readiness to undertake the work. But the General did not authorize him to do it, and he believed that if the enemy intended to invade our territory again, they would do it before the removal could be completed. It was then finally concluded that the fort, which was calculated for a garrison of only two hundred men, could not be defended against the heavy artillery of the enemy; and that if the British should approach it by water, which would cause a presumption that they had brought their heavy artillery, the fort must be abandoned and burnt, provided a retreat could be effected with safety. In the orders left with Major Croghan, it was stated: "Should the British troops approach you in force with cannon, and you can discover them in time to effect a retreat, you will do so immediately, destroying all the public stores."

"You must be aware that the attempt to retreat in the face of an Indian force would be vain. Against such an enemy your garrison would be safe, however great the number."

On the evening of the 29th General Harrison received intelligence, by express, from General Clay, that the enemy had abandoned the siege of Fort Meigs; and as the Indians on that day had swarmed in the woods round his camp, he

entertained no doubt but that an immediate attack was intended either on Sandusky or Seneca. He therefore immediately called a council of war, consisting of McArthur, Cass, Ball, Paul, Wood, Hukill, Holmes and Graham, who were unanimously of the opinion that Fort Stephenson was untenable against heavy artillery, and that as the enemy could bring with facility any quantity of battering cannon against it, by which it must inevitably fall, and as it was an unimportant post, containing nothing the loss of which would be felt by q s, that the garrison should therefore not be reinforced, but withdrawn, and the place destroyed. In pursuance of this decision, the General immediately dis- patched the order to Major Croghan, di- recting him immediately to abandon Fort Stephenson, to set it on fire and repair with his command to headquarters across the river and come up on the opposite side, and if he should find it impracticable to reach the General's quarters, to take the road to Huron, and pursue it with the utmost circumspection and dispatch. This order was sent by Mr. Conner and two Indians, who lost their way in the dark, and did not reach Fort Stephenson until 11 o'clock the next day. When Major Croghan received it, he was of the opinion that he could not then retreat with safety, as the Indians were ,hovering round the fort in considerable force. He called a council of his officers, a majority of whom coincided with him in opinion that a retreat would be unsafe, and that the post could be maintained against the enemy, at least till further instructions could be received from headquarters. The Major, therefore, immediately returned the following answer:

Sir: I have just received yours of yesterday, 10 p.m., ordering me to destroy this place and make good my retreat, which was received too late to be carried into execution. We have determined to maintain this place, and, by heavens, we can.

102

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

In writing this brief note Major Croghan had a view to the probability of its falling into the hands of the enemy, and on that account made use of stronger language than would otherwise have been consistent with propriety. It reached the General on the same day, who did not fully understand the circumstances and motives under which it had been dictated. The following order was therefore immediately prepared and sent with Colonel Wells in the morning, escorted by Colonel Ball, with his corps of dragoons:

July 30, 1813.

SIR: The General has just received your letter of this date, informing him that you had thought proper to disobey the order issued from this office, and delivered to you this morning. It appears that the information which dictated the order was incorrect; and as you did not receive it in the night, as was expected, it might have been proper that you should have reported the circumstance and your situation, before you proceeded to its execution. This might have been passed over; but I am directed to say to you, that an officer who presumes to aver that he has made his resolution, and that he will act in direct opposition to the orders of the General, can no longer be entrusted with a separate command. Colonel Wells is sent to relieve you. You will deliver the command to him, and repair with Colonel Ball's squadron to this place. By command, etc.

A. H. Holmes

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Colonel Wells being left in the command of Fort Stephenson, Major Croghan returned with the squadron to headquarters. He there explained his motive for writing such a note, which was deemed satisfactory; and having remained all night with the General, who treated him politely, he was permitted to return to his command in the morning, with written orders similar to those he had received before.

A reconnoitering party which had been sent from headquarters to the shore of the lake, about twenty miles distant from Fort Stephenson, discovered the approach of the enemy, by water, on the 31st of July.

They returned by the fort after 12 o'clock the next day, and had passed it but a few hours when the enemy made their appearance before it. The Indians showed themselves first on the hill over the river, and were saluted by a six pounder, the only piece of artillery in the fort, which soon caused them to retire. In half an hour the British gunboats came in sight, and the Indian forces displayed themselves in every direction, with a view to intercept the garrison, should a retreat be attempted. The six pounder was fired a few times at the gunboats, which was returned by the artillery of the enemy. A landing of their troops with a five and a half inch howitzer was effected about a mile below the fort, and Major Chambers, accompanied by Dickson, was dispatched towards the fort with a flag, and was met on the part of Major Croghan by Ensign Shipp, of the Seventeenth regiment. After the usual ceremonies, Major Chambers observed to Ensign Shipp that he was instructed by General Proctor to demand the surrender of the fort, as he was anxious to spare the effusion of human blood, which he could not do should he be under the necessity of reducing it by the powerful force of artillery, regulars, and Indians under his command. Shipp replied that the commandant of the fort and its garrison was determined to defend it to the last extremity; that no force, however great, could induce them to surrender, as they were resolved to maintain their post, or to bury themselves in its ruins. Dickson then said that their immense body of Indians could not be restrained from murdering the whole garrison in case of success; of which we have no doubt, rejoined Chambers; as we are amply prepared. Dickson then proceeded to remark, that it was a great pity so fine a young man should fall into the hands of the savages Sir, for God's sake, surrender, and prevent the dreadful massacre

103

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

that will be caused by your resistance. Mr. Shipp replied, that when the fort was taken there would be none to massacre. It will not be given up while a man is able to resist. An Indian at this moment came out of the adjoining ravine, and advancing to the ensign, took hold of his sword and attempted to wrest it from him. Dickson interfered, and having retained the Indian, affected great anxiety to get him safe into the fort.

The enemy now opened fire from their sixpounder in the gunboats and the howitzer on shore, which they continued through the night with but little intermission and with very little effect. The forces of the enemy consisted of five hundred regulars, and about eight hundred Indians commanded by Dickson, the whole being commanded by General Proctor in person. Tecumseh was stationed on the road to Fort Meigs with a body of two thousand Indians, expecting to intercept a reinforcement on that route.

Major Croghan, through the evening, occasionally fired his sixpounder, at the same time changing its place, to in, duce a belief that he had more than one piece. As it produced very little execution on the enemy, and he was desirous of saving his ammunition, he soon discontinued his fire. The enemy had directed their fire against the northwestern angle of the fort, which induced the commander to believe that an attempt would be made to storm his works at that point. In the night Captain Hunter was directed to remove the sixpounder to a blockhouse, from which it would rake that angle. By great industry and personal ex- ertion, Captain Hunter soon accomplished this object in secrecy. The embrasure was masked and the piece loaded with a halfcharge of powder, and doublecharge of slugs and grapeshot. Early in the morning of the 2nd the enemy opened

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 14

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