History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 16

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882 > Part 16

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

109

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

the Superintendent of the city schools, R. B. Hayes, R. P. Buckland, Rev. Ebenezer Bushnell, James W. Wilson, Thomas Stilwell, William E. Haynes, and L. Q. Rawson. On meeting, the Board of Trustees chose the following officers, who still hold their respective positions: President, R. B. Hayes; Vice-President, R. P. Buckland; Secretary, W. W. Ross; Treasurer, James W. Wilson.

It was the earnest wish of Mr. Birchard that the library should be located on the site of the fort, and that the city should own that ground for a park. Hence, when the owner, Lewis Leppleman, esq., offered four lots embracing the fort ground property for eighteen thousand dollars, and Mr. Claghan and Dr. W. V. B. Ames, each a lot on the south, which connect the ground from Croghan to Garrison streets, consented to sell for nine thousand, Mr. Birchard authorized the trustees of the library to divert six thousand dollars of the library fund to the purchase. This not being sufficient with the funds appropriated by the city, General Hayes, to complete its purchase of the whole block, guaranteed three thousand dollars more out of the library fund, and the whole was purchased, and deeded to the city with condition that the library building should be erected therein.

THE GUN CALLED BETSEY CROGHAN.

The gun used by Colonel Croghan with such good effect, in defence of the fort, naturally became an object of inquiry with a view to having it placed in the fort as a relic of the past.

Brice J. Bartlett, a citizen and prominent lawyer of the place, father of Colonel J. R. Bartlett, and then mayor of the village, was untiring in his efforts to find and preserve the gun. By correspondence with the War Department and inquiry through members of Congress, he ascertained

that the identical gun was stored at Pittsburgh.

Aided by other citizens, he procured the passage of a resolution by Congress, directing that the gun be forwarded to this place and given to the village authorities.

It was forwarded, but by some misdi- rection was carried to Sandusky City. The authorities of that place desired to keep it, and when it was traced there and claimed by Mayor Bartlett, it was concealed by being buried.

He set a detective on the search, who, after several days, succeeded in finding where it was buried and informed Mayor Bartlett.

The Mayor sent a force of several men with a team, who found the gun and brought it away. There was much rejoicing over the arrival of the gun, and the people still hold it as a sacred relic of the past and a witness of the bravery of Colonel Croghan and his one hundred and sixty brave Kentuckians.

This gun is now placed on the site of Fort Stephenson, to be there kept as a memento and a reminder to future generations, of the heroism and bravery of the fort's defenders.

The following communication was written by Clark Waggoner, who formerly edited the Lower Sandusky Whig, and was published in the Fremont Journal of August, 1879. It seems so pertinent to the history of the fort and the people of Lower Sandusky, that we give it entire:

FORTY YEARS AGO-FORT STEPHENSON CELEBRATION OF 1839

The history of Fremont and vicinity is especially rich in events and associations, some of which have been gathered for record, while many others remain unwritten and liable to the oblivion which sooner or later overtakes tradition. Most prominent of all now stands, and must stand, the thrilling story of the heroic and successful defence of Fort Stephenson by Major George Croghan and his gallant little band of one hundred and sixty-nine men, August 1, 1813.

110

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

from the combined attack of five hundred British regulars and eight hundred Indians, under command of General Proctor. After a furious cannonading of twenty- four hours, the assault was made, which resulted in complete repulse, with a loss to the assailants of two hundred men m killed and wounded, and to the brave defenders of one man killed and seven slightly wounded. We need not stop here to repeat the many features and incidents of that notable event, so highly important in staying the advance into Ohio of the confident leader of that mongrel command, our present object being rather to refer to the notable commemoration of that great victory, which took place here on the twenty-sixth anniversary of the same, August 2, 1839. This is made the more fitting at this time by the occurrence tomorrow of the sixty' sixth anniversary of that event.

Since the celebration of 1839, forty years have passed. Forty years! Two score of the earth's cycles! How few, of the hundreds who participated in the exercises of that occasion, remain to have its pleasant memories revived by this reference thereto. Not one in a hundred of the present population of Fremont and vicinity have any information of that event, except as received from others. And yet there are some who have all these long years of intervening time kept the matter in mind, and these will take special pleasure in a brief review of some of the incidents of the occasion. It is proper here to state that in 1839 there still remained some who were either here or in the immediate vicinity at the time of the tragic scenes of 1813.

The celebration of 1839 was the first formal recog- nition made of the anniversary of the battle, and was entered into by all classes of citizens with a Spirit and an energy which indicated the deepest interest in the chief local event of the town. Action looking thereto was inaugurated by a preliminary meeting of citizens, held at the court house on the evening of July 6, when Thomas L. Hawkins was called to the chair and Ralph E. Buckland appointed secretary. On the motion of Dr. Frank Williams, it was resolved to take measures for the celebration of the then approaching anniversary, when a committee of arrangements therefore was appointed, to consist of the following named citizens, to wit: General John Bell, James Justice, N. B. Eddy, John R. Pease, Ralph P. Buckland, Dr. Frank Williams, Isaac Knapp, Andrew Morehouse, James Vallette, Dr. L. Q. Rawson, William Fields, Dr. Daniel Brainard, Rodolphus Dickinson, General Samuel Treat, General John Patterson, Captain Samuel Thompson, Major James A. Scranton, Jesse S. Olmsted, General Robert S. Rice, Thomas L. Hawkins, and Jeremiah Everett. This list will call up many memories among the readers of the Journal. It embraces the names of most of the prominent citizens' of old Lower Sandusky then living, nearly all of whom, one by one, have passed from earth. Of the

Twenty-one named, but three remain - General Buckland, Dr. Rawson, and William Fields.

The committee at once entered upon its duties, the discharge of which must be judged from results. Suffice it here to say that the undertaking committed to their hands was not then what it would be now. At that time nearly everything of ways and means had to be improvised for the occasion, while the population was small, with resources limited. The design of the committee was of the most liberal kind, and included, besides the usual procession, music, orations, etc., a grand barbecue dinner, something entirely new in this section. The people cooperated zealously and liberally with the committees' plans in the supply of money and other assistance, while business was wholly given up to the festivities of the day. Special invitations were sent to a large number of distinguished men throughout the country, from many of whom letters were received. A splendid ox was neatly and admirably roasted whole, after the best Kentucky style, and was supported by several smaller animals cooked in the same manner. The dinner was served under a capacious arbor especially prepared on the hill, in full sight and within a few rods of the old fort.

A SUGGESTIVE INCIDENT.

In his letter to the committee, Hon. Elisha Whittlesey gives, upon the authority of the person named, for whom he vouches as "a gentleman of respectability and of strict veracity," the following statement, which has not otherwise been made public. Mr. Whittlesey wrote:

Aaron Norton, then a resident of Tallmadge, Portage county, on the ad of August, 1813, left Huron county to visit Fort Stephenson on business. He had furnished supplies for the Northwestern Army at different times after Hull's surrender, and was very well acquainted with the country east of the Maumee River. He arrived in the vicinity of Fort Stephenson in the afternoon, and without knowing that the British and Indians had elected a landing, he rode about halfway from the high bank to the place for fording the Sandusky River, when he discovered the British on the left bank, and that the Indians were on each side of him and in his front. The road descended from the high bank south of the present turnpike, and followed the river bank to the ford, which, according to my recollection, was south of the present bridge. To gain the fort was impossible, while a safe retreat was doubtful. The parties discovered each other at the same instant, and each were alike astonished. Mr. Norton wheeled his horse and pressed him to the top of his speed. As soon as the Indians recovered from their surprise and regained their rifles, they

111

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

shot at the fugitive, who reached the hill and the woods without injury.

Immediately after this active preparations were made to attack the fort. Mr. Norton supposed the enemy, apprehending that reinforcements were marching to the fort, made the attack sooner and with less caution than they otherwise would. Without detracting in the least from the brilliant merits of Major Croghan and his brave companions-in-arms, he looked upon the incident as having, under the guidance of Providence, contributed to the signal defeat of the enemy. He claimed no merit, and was thankful that he possessed the presence of mind that enabled him to make his escape.

On reading this statement the mind cannot wholly resist the view taken by Mr. Norton, that his timely appearance may have operated to precipitate the attack on the fort, which proved so disastrous to the assailants.

With some readers the memories revived by this reference will be of mingled pleasure and sadness. It is always gratifying to review the past in its pleasant aspects; but in proportion to the lapse of time involved, we associate thoughts of those who contributed to such memories, but who no longer remain to share therein. But it is profitable at times to stop in life's activities, to give special thought to departed sharers in our joys and sorrows, for thereby we are lifted out of, if not above, the engrossing cares of everyday life, which too often shut out thoughts which ennoble and elevate.

After dinner the company adjourned to the old fort, a few relics of which still remain, where Hon. Eleutheros Cooke, of Sandusky, from the steps of the residence of General John Patterson (which was the wooden building lately removed from the centre of Fort Stephenson), delivered an able, eloquent, and appropriate address, which was published at the time. Letters were received from a large number of persons invited, including Colonel Croghan, General W. H. Harrison, Henry Clay, Colonel R. M. Johnson (then Vice- President), Governor , Shannon, Hon,

Thomas Ewing, Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, John A. Bryan (Auditor of State), Hon. John W. Allen, General James Allen, and Dr. John G. Miller, of Columbus. Besides the regular, volunteer toasts were offered .by General John Patterson, B. J. Bartlett, William B. Craighill, Josiah Roop, Dr. Niles, Henry Spohn, Sidney Smith (subsequently by special legislative act, Sidney Sea), Colonel E. D. Bradley, Dr. A. H. Brown, Clark Waggoner, Captain Samuel Thompson, Pitt Cooke, and John N. Sloan, of Sandusky. One of the volunteer toasts was this:

By a citizen: Colonel Bradley, Assistant Marshal of the Day, the dauntless hero and friend of liberty. When another victory like the one we celebrate is to be won, his country will know on whom to call to achieve it.

"Another victory," and many of them, have since been "won" for "liberty," and the sentiment of the "citizen's" toast has been met in the heroic part taken therein by Colonel Bradley, the brave commander of the Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteers in the Union army. That gentleman, still at Stryker, Williams county, Ohio, survives the battles of Point au Pelee and of the Rebellion.

Of those from whom letters were re- ceived, only Hon. John W. Allen, of Cleveland, and ex-Governor Shannon (now of Kansas), are living; while, of the volunteer toasters named, only Colonel Bradley, Pitt Cooke, and Clark Waggoner are known now to survive.

COLONEL CROGHAN'S LETTER.

The letter of Colonel Croghan was as follows:

ST. Louis, Mo., 26th July, 1839

GENTLEMEN: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 8th inst., inviting me, on the part of the citizens of Lower Sandusky, to be present with them in the coming anniversary of the defence of Fort Stephenson.

It is with regret that I am, on account of official duties, unable to comply with your flattering invitation, In communicating this, my reply, I cannot

112

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

forbear to acknowledge with deep gratitude, the honor you confer. To have been with those gallant men who served with me on the occasion alluded to, permitted by a kind Providence to perform a public duty which has been deemed worthy of a special notice by my fellow- citizens, is a source of high gratification, brightened, too, by the reflection that the scene of conflict is now, by the enterprise and industry of your people, the home of a thriving and intelligent community.

I beg to offer to you, gentlemen, and through you to the citizens of Lower Sandusky, my warmest thanks for the remembrance which you have so flatteringly expressed.

With every feeling of respect and gratitude, I am yours, G. CROGHAN.

Dr. Frank Williams and others, Committee.

NAMES OF THE DEFENDERS OF FORT STEPHENSON.

Mr. Webb C. Hayes has expended much time and great care in his endeavors to obtain the names of the men who so bravely defended Fort Stephenson. The results of his labors have been a partial, but not a complete success. By his correspondence and inquiry at different departments at Washington and elsewhere, it appears that the American force at Fort Stephenson, August 2, 1813, consisted of detachments from Captain James Hunter's company of the Seventeenth regiment of United States Infantry; from Captain James Duncan's company of same regiment; also a detachment from the Twenty-fourth United States Infantry, and from the Pittsburgh Blues, Petersburgh Volunteers, and Greensburg Riflemen, in all amounting to one hundred and fifty men.

Mr. Hayes' correspondence reveals the fact that there was not found in the Adjutant- General's office in Washington, any rolls of volunteers in the War of 1812, all of them having been sent to the Third Auditor's office many years before he made the inquiry. The Auditor's office failed to show the names of these detached volunteers. But there were records of the regulars, and from these Mr. Hayes obtained the following lists, which he has

very kindly furnished the writer, to be used in this history, and which are as follows:

DEFENDERS OF FORT STEPHENSON.

Major George Croghan, Seventeenth United States Infantry, commanding.

Captain James Hunter, Seventeenth United States Infantry.

First Lieutenant Benjamin Johnson, Seventeenth United States Infantry.

Second Lieutenant Cyrus A. Baylor, Seventeenth United States Infantry.

Ensign Edmund Shipp, Seventeenth United States Infantry.

Ensign Joseph Duncan, Seventeenth United States Infantry.

First Lieutenant Joseph Anthony, Twenty-fourth United States Infantry.

Second Lieutenant John Meek, Seventh United States Infantry.

Petersburg Volunteers.

Pittsburg Blues.

Greensburg Riflemen.

CAPTAIN JAMES HUNTER'S COMPANY, SEVENTEENTH UNITED STATES INFANTRY.

Captain James Hunter, commanding. Sergeant Wayne Case.

Sergeant James Huston.

Sergeant Obadiah Norton.

Corporal Matthew Burns.

Corporal William Ewing.

Corporal John Maxwell.

PRIVATES.

Pleasant Bailey, Samuel Brown, Elisha Condiff, Thomas Crickman, Ambrose Dean, Leonard George, Nathaniel Gill, John Harley, Jonathan Hartley, William McDonald, Joseph McKey, Frederick Melts, Rice Millender, John Mumman, Samuel Pearsall, Daniel Perry, David Perry, William Ralph, John Rankin, Elisha Rathburn, Aaron Ray, Robert Row, John Salley, John Savage, John Smith, Thomas Striplin, William Sutherland, Martin Tanner, John Zett.

CAPTAIN JAMES DUNCAN'S COMPANY, SEVENTEENTH UNITED STATES INFANTRY.

First Lieutenant Benjamin Johnson, commanding. Second Lieutenant Cyrus A. Baylor.

Sergeant Henry Lawell. Sergeant Thomas McCaul. Sergeant John M. Stotts. Sergeant Notley Williams.

PRIVATES.

Henry L. Bethers, Cornelius S. Bevins, Joseph Blamer, Jonathan C. Bowling, Nicholas Bryant, Robert Campbell, Samuel Campbell, Joseph Klinkenbeard, Joseph Childers, Ambrose Dine, Jacob Downs, James Harris, James Heartley, William

113

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

Johnson, Elisha Jones, Thomas Linchard, William McClelland, Joseph McKee, John Martin, Ezekiel Mitchell, William Rogers, David Sudderfield, Thomas Taylor, John Williams.

DETACHMENT TWENTY-FOURTH UNITED STATES INFANTRY.

First Lieutenant Joseph Anthony, commanding.

PRIVATES.

William Gaines, John Foster, Jones, Samuel Riggs, Samuel Thurman.

GREENSBURG RIFLEMEN.

Sergeant Abraham Weaver.

PETERSBURG VOLUNTEERS.

Private Edmund Brown.

PITTSBURG BLUES.

Mr. Hayes has also furnished us, for use, the following correspondence relative to the battle and the proceedings of Congress on the subject, which we place before our readers, with thanks to Mr. Hayes:

LOWER SANDUSKY, 25th July, 1813. GENERAL HARRISON:

DEAR SIR: Mr. Connor has just arrived with the Indians which were sent by you to Fort Meigs a few days since. To him I refer you for information from that quarter.

I have unloaded the boats which were brought from Cleveland, and shall sink them in the middle of the river (where it is ten feet deep) about one-half mile above the present landing. My men are engaged in making cartridges, and will have, in a short time, more than sufficient to answer any ordinary call. I have collected all the most valuable stores in one house. Should I be forced to evacuate the place, they will be blown up.

Yours with respect,

G. CROGHAN,

Major Commanding at Lower Sandusky. Major-General Harrison.

GENERAL HARRISON TO MAJOR CROGHAN.

July 29, 1813.

SIR: Immediately on receiving this letter, you will abandon Fort Stephenson, set fire to it, and repair with your command this night to headquarters. Cross the river and come up on the opposite side. If you should deem and find it impracticable to make good your march to this place, take the road to Huron, and pursue it with the utmost circumspection and dispatch.

MAJOR CROGHAN TO GENERAL HARRISON. July 30, 1813.

SIR; I have just received yours of yesterday, 10 o'clock 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.

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 this 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 circumstances, 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 his 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, &c.,

A. H. HOLMES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LOWER SANDUSKY, 3d August, 1813.

GENERAL HARRISON.

DEAR SIR: The enemy made an attempt to storm us last evening, but was repulsed with the loss of at least two hundred killed, wounded, and prisoners.

One lieutenant-colonel,* a major, and a lieutenant, with about forty privates, are dead in our ditch. I have lost but one in killed and but few wounded. Further statements will be made you by the bearer.

GEORGE CROGHAN,

Major Commanding Fort Sandusky. P.S .- Since writing the above, two soldiers of the Forty-first regiment have gotten in, who state that the enemy have retreated in fact, one of their gunboats is within three hundred yards of our works, said to be loaded with camp equipage, etc., which they in their hurry have left.

GEORGE CROGHAN.

A true copy.

JOHN O'FALLOW, Aid-de-Camp. HEADQUARTERS, SENECA TOWN, 4th August, 1813.

SIR: In my letter of the first instant I did myself the honor to inform you that one of my scouting parties had just returned from the Lake Shore and had discovered, the day before, the enemy in force near the mouth of the Sandusky Bay. The party had not passed Lower Sandusky two hours before the advance, consisting of Indians, appeared before the fort, and in half an hour after a large detachment of British troops; and in the course of the night commenced a cannonading against the fort

*(Lieutenant-Colonel Short.)

114

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

with three sixpounders and two howitzers, the latter from gunboats. The firing was partially answered by Major Croghan, having a sixpounder, the only piece of artillery.

The fire of the enemy was continued at intervals during the second instant, until about half after five P.M., when finding that their cannons made little impression upon the works, and having discovered my position here and apprehending an attack, an attempt was made to carry the place by storm. Then troops were formed in two columns. Lieutenant-Colonel Short headed the principal one, composed of the light and battalion companies of the Forty-first regiment. This gallant officer conducted his men to the brink of the ditch, under the most galling and destructive fire from the garrison, and leaping into it was followed by a considerable part of his own and the light company. At this moment a masked porthole was suddenly opened and a sixpounder, with an half load of powder and a double charge of leaden slugs, at the distance of thirty feet, poured destruction upon them and killed or wounded nearly every man who had entered the ditch. In vain did the British officers exert themselves to lead on the balance of the column; it retired in disorder under a shower of shot from the fort, and sought safety in the adjoining woods. The other column, headed by the grenadiers, had also retired, after having suffered from the muskets of our men, to an adjacent ravine. In the course of the night the enemy, with the aid of their Indians, drew off the greater part of the wounded and dead, and embarking them in boats, descended the river with the utmost precipitation. In the course of the ad instant, having heard the cannonading, I made several attempts to ascertain the force and situation of the enemy. Our scouts were unable to get near the fort from the Indians which surrounded it. Finding, however, that the enemy had only light artillery, and being well con- vinced that it could make little impression upon the works, and that any attempt to storm it would be resisted with effect, I waited for the arrival of two hundred and fifty mounted volunteers, which on the evening before had left Upper Sandusky. But as soon as I was informed that the enemy were retreating, I set out with the dragoons to endeavor to overtake them, leaving Generals McArthur and Cass to follow with all the infantry (about seven hundred) that could be spared from the protection of the stores and sick at this place. I found it impossible to come up with them. Upon my arrival at Sandusky I was informed by the prisoners that the enemy's forces consisted of four hundred and ninety regular troops, and five hundred of Dixon's Indians, commanded by General Proctor in person, and that Tecumseh, with about two thousand warriors, was somewhere in the swamps between this and Fort Meigs, expecting my advance or that of a convoy of provisions. As there was no prospect of doing anything in front, and being

apprehensive that Tecumseh might destroy the stores and small detachments in my rear, I sent orders to General Cass, who commanded the reserve, to fall back to this place, and to General McArthur, with the front line, to follow and support him.

I remained at Sandusky until the parties that were sent out in every direction, returned not an enemy was to be seen.

I am sorry that I cannot transmit you Major Croghan's official report. He was to have sent it to me this morning, but I have just heard that he was so much exhausted by thirty-six hours of continued exertion as to be unable to make it. It will not be amongst the least of General Proctor's mortifications to find that he has been baffled by a youth who has just passed his twenty-first year. He is, however, a hero worthy of his gallant uncle, General G. R. Clarke, and I bless my good fortune in having first introduced this promising shoot of a distinguished family to the notice of the Government.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 16

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: