History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 15

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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 de- livered to you this morning. It appears that the in- formation which dictated the order was incorrect; and as you did not receive it in the night, as was ex- pected, 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 op- position 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 com- mand of Fort Stephenson, Major Croghan returned with the squadron to headquar- ters. 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 or- ders similar to those he had received be- fore.

A reconnoitring 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 gun-boats 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 gun-boats, 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 ar- tillery, regulars, and Indians under his com- mand. 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 main- tain 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 gar- rison 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, surren- der, and prevent the dreadful massacre

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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 inan 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 six-pounder in the gunboats and the how- itzer on shore, which they continued through the night with but little intermis- sion 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 reinforce- ment on that route.

Major Croghan, through the evening, occasionally fired his six-pounder, at the same time changing its place, to in- duce a belief that he had more than one piece. As it produced very little ex- ecution on the enemy, and he was desir- ous of saving his ammunition, he soon discontinued his fire. The enemy had di- rected their fire against the northwestern angle of the fort, which induced the com- mander 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 six pounder to a block- house, 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 half-charge of powder, and double-charge of slugs and grape-shot. Early in the morning of the 2d the enemy opened

their fire from their howitzer and three six-pounders, which they had landed in the night, and planted in a point of woods about two hundred and fifty yards from the fort. In the evening, about 4 o'clock, they concentrated the fire of all their guns on the northwest angle, which convinced Major Croghan that they would endeavor to make a breach and storm the works at that point; he therefore immediately had that place strengthened as much as possible with bags of flour and sand, which were so effectual that the picketing in that place sustained no material injury. Sergeant Weaver, with five or six gentlemen of the Petersburg volunteers and Pittsburgh Blues, who happened to be in the fort, was intrusted with the management of the six- pounder.

Late in the evening, when the smoke of the firing had completely enveloped the fort, the enemy proceeded to make the assault. Two feints were made toward the southern angle, where Captain Hun- ter's lines were formed; and at the same time a column of three hundred and fifty men was discovered advancing through the smoke, within twenty paces of the northwestern angle. A heavy, galling fire of musketry was now opened upon them from the fort, which threw them into some confusion. Colonel Short, who headed the principal column, soon rallied his men, and led them with great bravery to the brink of the ditch. After a moment- ary pause he leaped into the ditch, calling to his men to follow him, and in a few minutes it was full. The masked port- hole was now opened, and the six pounder, at the distance of thirty feet, poured such destruction among them that but few who had entered the ditch were fortunate enough to escape. A precipitate and confused retreat was the immediate conse- quence, although some of the officers attempted to rally their men. The other

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column, which was led by Colonel War- burton and Major Chambers, was also routed in confusion by a destructive fire from the line commanded by Captain Hunter. The whole of them fled into the adjoining wood, beyond the reach of our fire-arms. During the assault, which lasted half an hour, the enemy kept up an incessant fire from their howitzer and five six-pounders. They left Colonel Short,* a lieutenant and twenty-five pri- vates dead in the ditch; and the total number of prisoners taken was twenty-six, most of them badly wounded. Major Muir was knocked down. in the ditch, and lay among the dead till the darkness of the night enabled him to escape in safety. The loss of the garrison was one killed and seven slightly wounded. The total loss of the enemy could not have been less than one hundred and sixty killed and wounded.

When night came on, which was soon after the assault, the wounded in the ditch were in a desperate situation. Complete relief could not be brought to them by either side with any degree of safety. Major Croghan, however, relieved them as much as possible-he contrived to convey them water over the picketing in buckets, and a ditch was opened under the pickets, through which those who were able and willing, were encouraged to crawl into the fort. All who were able preferred, of course, to follow their de- feated comrades, and many others were carried from the vicinity of the fort by the Indians, particularly their own killed and wounded; and in the night, about three

o'clock, the whole British and Indian force commenced a disorderly retreat. So great was their precipitation that they left a sail-boat containing some clothing and a considerable quantity of military stores ; and on the next day, seventy stand of arms and some braces of pistols were picked up about the fort. Their hurry and confusion was caused by the appre hension of an attack from General Harri- son, of whose position and force they had probably received an exaggerated account.

It was the intention of General Har- rison, should the enemy succeed against Fort Stephenson, or should they endeavor to turn his left and fall on Upper San- dusky, to leave his camp at Seneca and fall back for the protection of that place. But he discovered by the firing on the evening of the Ist, that the enemy had nothing but "light artillery, which could make no impression on the fort; and he knew that an attempt to storm it without making a breach, could be successfully repelled by the garrison ; he therefore de- termined to wait for the arrival of two hundred and fifty mounted volunteers under Colonel Rennick, being the advance of seven hundred who were approaching by the way of Upper Sandusky, and then to march against the enemy and raise the siege, if their force was not still too great for his. On the 2d he sent several scouts to ascertain their situation and force; but the woods were so infested with Indians that none of them could proceed suffi- ciently near the fort to make the necessary discoveries. In the night the messenger arrived at headquarters with the intelli- gence that the enemy were preparing to retreat. About nine o'clock Major Crogh- an had ascertained, from their collecting about their boats, that they were pre- paring to embark, and had immediately sent an express to the commander-in-chief with this information. The General now

*Colonel Short, who commanded the regulars composing the forlorn hope, was ordering his men to leap the ditch, cut down the pickets and give the Americans no quarter, when he fell mortally wounded into the ditch, hoisted his white handkerchief on the end of his sword, and begged for that mercy which he had a moment before ordered to be denied to his enemy.

- Major Large Croghun. Hero of Fort Stephanson, 2. Aug. 1813. .1. 21. -

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

determined to wait no longer for the rein- forcements, and immediately set out with the dragoons, with which he reached the fort early in the morning, having ordered Generals McArthur and Cass, who had arrived at Seneca several days before, to follow him with all the disposable infantry at that place, and which at this time was about seven hundred men, after the nu- merous sick, and the force necessary to maintain the position, were left behind. Finding that the enemy had fled entirely from the fort, so as not to be reached by him, and learning that Tecumseh was somewhere in the direction of Fort Meigs, with two thousand warriors, he immedi- ately ordered the infantry to fall back to Seneca, lest Tecumseh should make an at- tack on that place, or intercept the small reinforcements advancing from Ohio.

In his official report of this affair, Gen- eral Harrison observes that: "It will not be among the least of General Proctor's mortifications, 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 George R. Clarke."

Captain Hunter, of the Seventeenth regiment, the second in command, con- ducted himself with great propriety ; and never was there a set of finer young fel- lows than the subalterns, viz: Lieuten- ants Johnson and Baylor of the Seven- teenth, Meeks of the Seventh, and En- signs Shipp and Duncan, of the Seven- teenth.

Lieutenant Anderson, of the Twenty- fourth, was also noticed for his good con- duct. Being without a command, he solicited Major Croghan for a musket and a post to fight at, which he did with the greatest bravery.

"Too much praise," says Major Cro- ghan, "can not be bestowed on the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates

under my command, for their gallantry and good conduct during the siege."

The brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel was immediately conferred on Major Cro- ghan, by the President of the United States, for his gallant conduct on this oc- casion. The ladies of Chillicothe also presented him an elegant sword, accom- panied by a suitable address.

The following sketches of Colonel George Croghan are taken from the Port- folio, published in 1815:

FRANKFORT, July 22, 1814. To the Editor of the Port-folio:

SIR : Upon receiving the letter which you did me the honor to address to me by Mrs. B., I imme- diately took such measures as were necessary to pro- cure the information you requested. 1 now transmit to you the result of my inquiries, regretting that it was not in my power to do it sooner.

At the time when Colonel Croghan and myself were inmates of the same house, he was in his four- teenth year. No incident occurred during that early period sufficiently interesting to find a place in his history; yet, even then, his conduct exhibited a happy combination of those talents and principles which have already procured him the admiration and gratitude of his country.

Though ingenuous in his disposition and unassum- ing and conciliating in his manners, he was remarka- ble for discretion and steadiness. His opinions, when once formed, were maintained with modest but persevering firmness; and the propriety of his decis- ions generally justified the spirit with which they were defended. Yet, though rigid to his adherence to principle, and in his estimate of what was right or improper, in cases of minor importance he was all compliance. I never met with a youth who would so cheerfully sacrifice every personal gratification to the wishes or accommodation of his friends. In sickness or disappointment he evinced a degree of patience and fortitude which could not have been ex- ceeded by any veteran in the school of misfortune or philosophy. Were I asked, what were the most prominent features of his character? (or rather, what were the prevailing dispositions of his mind?) at the period of which I am speaking, -I would answer, decision and urbanity ; the former, resulting from the uncommon and estimable qualities of his under- standing-the latter, from the concentration of all the sweet "charities of life," in his heart. Thus far from my own observation. I have seldom seen Col- onel Croghan for the last eight years ; but subjoin the testimony of those to whose observation he has been exposed during the whole of that period.

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An intelligent young gentleman, who was his asso- ciate in study and in arms, has given me a brief sketch of his military career, which I herewith trans- mit, together with such corroborative and additional circumstances as I have collected from other sources, and which in substance amount to this :

Lieutenant-Colonel George Croghan was born at Locust Grove, near the falls of Ohio, on the 15th of November, 1791. His father, Major William Cro- ghan, left Ireland at an early period of life ; was ap- pointed an officer in our Revolutionary army, and discharged his duties as such, to the satisfaction of the commander-in-chicf. His mother is the daugh- ter of John Clarke, esq., of Virginia, a gentleman of worth and respectability, who exerted himself greatly, and contributed largely towards the support of our just and glorious contest. He had five sons, four of whom were officers in the Revolutionary army. Gen- eral William Clarke, who, together with Captain Lewis, explored, and is at present the Governor of Louisiana, was too young to participate with his brothers in the achievement of our liberties ; but his conduct since is a sufficient demonstration of the part he would have taken, had he been riper in years. The military talents of General George R. Clarke ' have obtained for him the flattering appellation of " the father of the western country."

Colonel Croghan has always been esteemed gener- ous and humane; and, when a boy, his manly ap- pearance and independence of sentiment and action commanded the attention and admiration of all wlio knew him.

The selection of his speeches for scholastic exer- cises tended in some nieasure to mark his peculiar talent. They were of a nature entirely military. He read with delight whatever appertained to mili- tary affairs, and would listen for hours to conversa- tions respecting battles. His principal .muscments were gunning and fox-hunting. He would frequent- ly rise at 12 o'clock at night, and repair to the woods alone (or with no attendant but his little servant, either to give chase to the fox, or battle to the wild cat and raccoon.

Nothing offended him more than for any one, even in jest, to say a word disrespectful of General Wash- ington.

While in the State of Kentucky his time was principally occupied by the study of his native tongue, geography, the elements of geometry, and the Latin and Greek languages. In these different branches of literature he made a respectable progress.

In the year 1808 he left Locust Grove for the pur- pose of prosecuting his studies in the University of William and Mary. In this institution he graduated as A. B. on the 4th of July, 1820; and delivered, on the day of his graduation, an oration on the subject of expatriation. This oration was deemed by the audience, concise, ingenious, and argumentative, and was pronounced in a manner which did great credit

to his oratorical powers. The ensuing autumn he attended a course of lectures on law, and upon the termination of the course returned to his father's where he prosecuted the study of the same profes- sion, and occasionally indulged himself in miscel- laneous reading. Biography and history have always occupied much of his attention. He is an enthusias- tic admirer of the writings of Shakespeare, and can recite most of the noted passages of that great poet and philosopher. He admires tragedy but not comedy. He is (as his countenance indicates) rather of a serious cast of mind; yet no one admires more a pleasant anecdote, or an unaffected sally of wit. With his friends he is affable and free from reserve; his manners are prepossessing; he dislikes ostenta- tion, and wa, never heard to utter a word in praise of himself.

In the autumn of 1811 was fought the battle of Tippecanoe. This was the first opportunity which offered for the display of his military talents. He embraced it with avidity-left his father's house in the character of a volunteer, and was appointed aid to General Harrison. On the 7th of November an attack was made on the troops under the command of that officer; the cnemy were repulsed with valor; and during the engagement young Croghan evinced the greatest courage, activity, and military skill. His services were acknowledged by all; and he ex- hibited such proofs of a genius for war that many of his companions in arms remarked that "he was born a soldier." A cant saying among the troops at Tip- pecanoe was " to do a main business;" and during the battle he would ride from post to post, exciting the courage of the men by exclaiming, "Now, my brave fellows, now is the time to do a main business." Upon the return of the troops from Tippecanoe, they were frequently met by persons coming to ascertain the fate of their children or friends. Among the number of these was a very poor and aged man, whose son was slain in the battle. Colonel Croghan, having ascertained the situation of the old man, and observing his inability to perform much bodily labor, regularly made his fires every morning, and supplied him with provisions, clothes, and money. Many acts of this kind are related of him by the soldiers and officers of Tippecanoe.

After the battle of Tippecanoe, his military ardor greatly increased, and, upon the prospect of a speedy declaration of war, he expressed a desire to join the army. Recommendatory letters of the most flatter- ing kind were written by Generals Harrison and Boyd to the Secretary of War; and upon the com- mencement of hostilities against Great Britain, he was appointed captain in the Seventeenth regiment of infantry. He was stationed some time at Clark Cantonment, near the Falls of Ohio, but had not been long in command there before he was ordered to march, with what regulars he had, to the head- quarters of the Northwestern Army, then at Detroit.

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His countenance beamed with delight upon receiving this order. There were large bodies of militia and volunteers on their march to Detroit, but before they had proceeded far they heard of Hull's surrender.

Shortly after this the command of the North- western Army was given to General Harrison. Col- onel Croghan commanded a short time at Fort De- fiance, on the Miami, but upon the defeat of General Winchester he was ordered to Fort Meigs. His conduct during that memorable siege is hand- somely noticed in General Harrison's official report, and he was shortly afterwards promoted to a ma- jority, and stationed with his battalion at Upper Sandusky. While there he received information, by express, of an attack upon Lower Sandusky. It was late in the afternoon when the intelligence reached him-the road between the two places was intolerably bad-the distance thirty-six miles, and the rain descending in torrents; yet he proceeded at the head of his battalion to its relief, and continued his march until 12 o'clock at night, by which time he had advanced twenty miles. It then became so dark that he and his men were obliged to lie down in the road, and wait the return of light rather than run the risk of losing their way.

He arrived at Fort Ball (twelve miles distant) be- fore sunrise the next morning, having waded through mud and mire frequently waist deep, and having been exposed to a heavy rain during the whole night. He was there informed that the report of an attack upon Lower Sandusky was unfounded, but after re- maining a few days at Fort Ball he proceeded thither, having received orders to take the command at that post. He arrived there about the 15th of July. A few days after this Fort Meigs was be- sieged by a large British and Indian force. 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 de- fence. 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 even succeed in leaping the ditch (which was nine feet wide, and six deep), he had large logs placed on the 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. This im- provement in the art of fortification took place but a few days before the attack. It is novel, and origi- nated with himself.

A short time before the action, he wrote the following concise and impressive let- ter to a friend:

The enemy are not far distant-I expect an at- tack-I will defend this post till the last extremity- I have just sent away the women and children, with

the sick of the garrison, that I may be able to act without incumbrance. Be satisfied. I shall, I hope, do my duty. 'The example set me by my Revolution- ary kindred is before me-let me die rather than prove unworthy of their name.

The following extract of a letter, written by a fellow-student and fellow-soldier of Lieutenant-Colonel Croghan, is here in- troduced as throwing additional light on the military character of that distinguished young officer :

Lieutenant-Colonel George Croghan is a native of Kentucky, and the second son of Major William Croghan, near Louisville. He is the nephew of the gallant hero and accomplished general, George Rogers Clarke, the father of the western country, and of General William Clarke, the present enterpris- ing Governor of Missouri. His father is a native of Ireland, and having early embarked his fortunes in America, was a distinguished officer in the war of the Revolution.

Lieutenant-Colonel Croghan was born on the 15th of November, 1791, and received all the advantages of education the best grammar schools in Kentucky could afford, until in his seventeenth year, when he commenced a scientific course in the ancient college of William and Mary, in Virginia. Both at school and at college he was remarked for an open manli- ness of character, and elevation of sentiment, and a strength of intellect, connected with a high and persevering ambition.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040