600 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY upon that occasion (the onslaught upon the British batteries) additional claim upon the gratitude of the General. It is ascertained that in both instances, the enemy far outnumbered our troops. The General gives his thanks to Brigadier-General CIay for the promptitude with which the detachment of his Brigade were landed (from up the river). And the assistance given him in forming them for the attack on the left (when the British battery was captured by Colonel Miller and others). To Colonel Boswell and Major Fletcher for their gallantry and good conduct in leading them in the charge made upon the enemy; and to Captains Dudley, Simmonds, and Medcalf, their subalterns, non-commissioned officers and privates, for the distinguished valor with which they defeated the enemy. "The General has in the order of the 6th inst., expressed his sense of the conduct of the regular troops and volunteers which were engaged in the sorties upon the left flank, but he omitted to mention Captain Brown of the Kentucky militia, whose gallantry was not surpassed by any of those of the companies which fought by their sides. The Pittsburg Blues led by Lieutenant McGee, sustained the reputation which they had acquired at Mississiniway, and their gallant associates the Pittsburg Volunteers, and Lieutenant Drum's detachment, discovered equal intrepidity. To the detachment from the companies from the 17th and 19th Regiments, under their respective commanders, Captains Cranahan, Bradford, Langham, Elliott and Nearing, the honorable task was assigned of storming the British battery defended by two hundred British grenadiers, flanked by a host of Indians and two companies of Canadian militia. This service was completely performed, two officers and forty regulars taken, the rest killed or dispersed. Colonel Miller speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of the subalterns, Campbell, Gwynne, Lee, Kestcheval and Rees, and of ensigns Ship, Hawkins, Anderson, Mitchell and Stockdon. The General requests Colonel Miller, Major Tod and each of the above named officers, together with all the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates who were engaged on the 5th inst., to accept of his thanks. "The General is under the highest obligation to his staff as well for their conduct in the action of the 5th, as for assistance which he received from them throughout the siege, Major Hukill the acting Inspector General, distinguished himself by his assiduity in forwarding the part of our works which were most necessary and most exposed to the fire of the enemy. From Major TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 601 Graham his aide-de-camp, his volunteer aide-de-camp John T. Johnson, Esqr., Lieutenant O'Failon Acting Adjt.-General, as well as from Deputy Qr. Master Mr. Eubanks, he received the greatest assistance. "It rarely occurs that a General has to complain of the excessive ardor of his men, yet such always appears to be the case whenever Kentucky militia are engaged. It is indeed the source of all their misfortunes. They appear to think that valor can alone accomplish everything. The General is led to make this remark from the conduct of Captain Dudley's company (not Colonel Dudley) of the _____ regiment, as he understood that that gallant officer was obliged to use his espantoon against his company to oblige them to desist from a further pursuit of the enemy, in compliance with an order from the General. Such temerity although not so disgraceful, is scarcely less fatal than cowardice. And in the instance above, had it been persisted in, would have given a different result to the action ; as the whole of the enemy's force which were placed near the batteries, would have been projected on the rear of our detachment. The pursuit being stopped, allowed time for a new disposition under cover of our cannon and the enemy's batteries were attacked and carried without difficulty. Three rounds will be fired from the principal batteries this day at 12 o'clock in honor of our brethren who have fallen during the siege." Colonel Miller, mentioned prominently all through this Fort Meigs story, was at the time editor of the Steubenville Herald. Rev. A. M. Lorraine who was within Fort Meigs during the siege, in the March issue, 1845, of The Ladies' Repository, wrote the following : "One of our militiamen took his station on the embankment, and gratuitously forewarned us of every shot. In this he became so skillful that he could in almost every case predict the destination of the ball. As soon as the smoke issued from the muzzle of the gun he would cry out 'shot' or 'bomb' as the case might be. Sometimes he would exclaim 'block-house No. 1' or 'look out, main battery ;"now for the meat-house ;"good-by, if you will pass.' In spite of all the expostulations of his friends, he maintained his post. One day there came a shot that seemed to defy all his calculations. He stood silent, motionless, perplexed. In the same instant he was swept into eternity. Poor man ! he should have considered that when there was no obliquity in the issue of the smoke, either to the right or left, above or below, the fatal messenger would travel in the direct line of his vision. * * * 602 - STORY OF. THE MAUMEE VALLEY "The Aborigines, climbing up into the trees, fired incessantly upon us. Such was their distance that many of their balls barely reached us but fell harmless to the ground. Occasionally they inflicted dangerous and even fatal wounds. "The number killed in the fort was small considering the profusion of powder and ball expended on us. About eighty were slain, many wounded, and several had to suffer amputation of limbs. The most dangerous duty which we performed within the precincts of the fort was in covering the magazine. Previous to this the powder had been deposited in wagons and these stationed in the traverse. Here there was no security against bombs; it was therefore thought to be prudent to remove the powder into a small block-house and cover it with earth. The enemy, judging our designs from our movements, now directed all their shot to this point particularly from their twenty-four-pounder battery. Many of their balls were red-hot. Wherever they struck they raised a cloud of smoke and made a frightful hissing. An officer passing our quarters said, 'Boys, who will volunteer to cover the magazine?' Fool-like away several of us went. As soon as we reached the spot there came a ball and took off one man's head. The spades and dirt flew faster than any of us had before witnessed. In the midst of our job a bomb-shell fell on the roof and, lodging on one of the braces, it spun round for a moment. Every soldier fell prostrate on his face and with breathless horror awaited the vast explosion which we expected would crown all our earthly sufferings. Only one of all the gang presumed to reason on the case. He silently argued that, as the shell had not burst as quick as usual, there might be something wrong in its arrangement. If it burst where it was, and the magazine exploded, there could be no escape; it was death anyway; so he sprang to his feet, seized a boat-hook and, pulling the hissing missile to the ground and jerking the smoking match from its socket discovered that the shell was filled with inflammable substance which, if once ignited, would have wrapped the whole building in a sheet of flame. This circumstance added wings to our shovels; and we were right glad when the officer said 'That will do; go to your lines.' " The editor of this work has always contended that Col. E. D. Wood of the Engineers, who planned Fort Meigs and supervised its construction, has never been credited in history with the prominence he deserved in the successful defense of that post. This point of view has been substantiated by General Harrison TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 603 himself, who above everything else gave Captain, later Colonel Wood, credit for the successful repulse of the British at the siege by his manner of the construction of the fort and especially in the construction of the "Grand Traverse" after the siege opened. Colonel Wood is therefore worthy of equal honors with General Harrison, and is also entitled to a share in the honors at Fort Stephenson, which place he strengthened before the attack of Proctor and Croghan's successful defense of that fort. On the 10th of May, 1813, the day after the British retreated clown the Maumee River, a detachment of General Harrison's troops were sent over the river from Fort Meigs to collect and bury the dead, slain in the disaster of Colonel Dudley's attack on the British batteries on the 5th. After a diligent search, forty-five bodies were found and buried. Among them was Colonel Dudley, whose body was badly mutilated. Including those massacred at Fort Miami by the Indians under the eye of Proctor, Dudley's total loss in killed was about seventy. The Indians themselves also carried off thirty to forty prisoners. When General Harrison ascertained that the British had for the present abandoned the hope of reducing Fort Meigs and had retreated, his attention was turned toward organizing his army for later operations in Canada and also to watch the further movement of the British and affairs at Fort Stephenson. Therefore, he turned over the command of Fort Meigs to Gen. Green Clay and repaired to Lower Sandusky on May 12th, with an escort of Major Ball's squadron whose horses had been kept at Fort Meigs during the siege. Before he left Fort Meigs, General Harrison issued a general order on the 10th, relating to camp regulations and on May 11th, issued his order appointing "Brigadier-General Clay of the Kentucky militia" to the "command of the troops in this camp (Fort Meigs) and to the posts of McArthur, Findlay, Portage, and Upper and Lower Sandusky. The commandants of these posts are to report to him." It is well to remark here that this order fixes the important fact that there was at this time a "post" at the Portage River, just south of present Portage, Wood County, and that this post had a commandant. Fort McArthur was located near present Kenton, Ohio, and Lower Sandusky is now Fremont. To resume, this order of General Harrison appointed "Capt. George Croghan of the 17th Regiment of Infantry, aide-de-camp to the Commanding General of the Northwestern Army." Gen- 604 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY eral Clay was also invested with the powers of ordering general courts-martial and to decide upon sentences in all cases except capital punishment and the dismissal of an officer, which cases were to be referred to the Commander-in-Chief. Immediately after General Clay assumed command of Fort Meigs, he was taken ill and his first order dated May 16, reads that "the command of the garrison and its dependent posts during my indisposition is hereby yielded to Col. John Miller." In this order Clay, however, took measures to secure and preserve all boats and rafts of every description on the river. The boats left above and below the fort were to be collected, also the bottoms of the flat-boats remaining, and "kept constantly guarded by day." A general cleanup of the fort was ordered, including the parade ground for the drilling of the troops. Special care and comfort was to be given the sick and wounded. "The first person found without the limits prescribed by general orders for the sporting ground of the troops without being on duty or having special permission, shall be made an example" reads one paragraph. The success of General Dearborn at Fort George and thereafter was also referred to. Col. John Miller, the temporary commander, May 17, issued an order for a general inspection of the regimental hospital and company books, by Major Hukill, Inspector General of the Northwestern Army. "All cooking and wood-cutting must hereafter be done in the ditches" was another clause and regulations established for the camp's health. In addition to the picket guard one sentinel was to be posted on the river bank 300 yards above the fort and one sentinel 200 yards down the river, "who will le no one pass without a written permission." Colonel Miller's general order dated May 23, provided for an inspection of all troops on May 30, by which time muster rolls of all troops must be completed. This list showed that "the forces at Fort Meigs taken from the regimental reports of May 30, 1813," developed the "total strength of officers and soldiers" to be two thousand and four. It is proper here to insert the fact that when General Harrison occupied Camp Meigs before the siege, he had called upon the governor of Kentucky for further forces which Governor Shelby of that state promptly organized. When it was known that these forces were not required, Governor Shelby disbanded them at Frankfort. In Ohio also the most active exertions had been made to raise reinforcements for the relief of Fort Meigs by TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 605 Governor Meigs. There was great alarm throughout the Buckeye state and patriotism was at a high pitch and some three thousand mounted troops were raised in three days, besides the advance toward the lower Maumee of other troops with Governor Meigs at the front, who reached Lower Sandusky May 11. They were intending to advance to Fort Meigs the next day, but General Harrison arrived there with the news of the withdrawal of the enemy from the siege. Measures were taken to stop the advance of the troops in the rear, and those who had arrived were disbanded. There was some dissatisfaction in Ohio and Kentucky at this, for they were impatient for a summer campaign into Canada and did not understand Harrison's policy of acting on the defensive until the Americans obtained control of Lake Erie. Returning again to the immediate situation at Fort Meigs, on June 15, an order was issued organizing a General Court-Martial to consist of seven members. The meetings were to be held in Block-house No. 2. One culprit to be tried was Lieut. S. Lee, Quartermaster to the 17th Regiment, U. S. Infantry, also several other prisoners. The result of these trials will appear later. It was now the beginning of summer, when despite the strife of war, wild fruit and vegetation flourished along the river banks and in the surrounding forests. The troops no doubt felt the need of a diet consisting of something besides bacon and coffee and army bread. Therefore, a general order was issued June 16, stating that "the commandants of companies will hereafter be permitted on each day to send one and no more than four men from their companies respectively to gather salad beyond the picket guard ;" evidently meaning edible, wild vegetable "greens." A general order dated at Camp Meigs, June 15, 1813, says that on account of the "various duties of the officer commanding the post and which can only be discharged by a General Officer, has induced General Clay to resume the command when his indisposition enables him to do so." Clay had been incapacitated by illness since May 12. In this order General Clay acknowledges the able services rendered him by Colonel Miller and the other officers of the garrison "for their politeness and attention during his late illness." From the opening of the gates of the fort until 7:00 o'clock in the morning, bathing and swimming in the river was to be allowed, but swimming to the opposite shore was positively forbidden. This would indicate, it being June, that the average stage of the water in the Maumee 115 years ago was 606 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY much higher than now. This order also recites that "at seven o'clock in the morning, four men from each company will be permitted to pass the sentinels accompanied by a commissioned officer, to gather fruit and `sallads', the men to go out armed and return by 12 o'clock." A gill of whiskey was issued daily with each trooper's rations. Then follows in the record, several orders relating to courts-martial. An order dated June 20th says : "The troops have permission to fish and haul the sein on this day and tomorrow." There were now 'rumblings, however, of the return of the British and Indians to the attack of the fort. An order of the same date as above, June 20, says "the information recently received as to the movements of the enemy render it necessary that the forces under Col. R. M. Johnson should with all possible speed march to Fort Meigs." Colonel Johnson was at the head of a regiment of some seven hundred mounted troops from Kentucky, who did great service during the campaign. They were on their way from Fort Wayne and arrived down the west side of the Maumee at 10 o'clock in the evening of June 22nd, and "encamped in the open plain between the river and the hill upon which the British batteries had been erected." The boats with baggage were left at the head of the Rapids. At daylight when the morning gun was fired at Fort Meigs opposite Colonel Johnson's camp of the night, the horses of the regiment were frightened and stampeded through the camp, running over some of the men and injuring them badly. The runaways were caught down the river after much risk. At 10 o'clock the day after their arrival, Johnson and his regiment crossed to the fort and camped above it, "in a handsome plain of blue grass." Since Clay had been in command at Fort Meigs, he had caused to be repaired all damage to the fort sustained during the siege and had cleared off the timber to a greater distance from the fort; burning the logs strewn outside the lines and had also erased the works on the west side where the British batteries stood. One serious feature was the excessive sickness at the fort during June and early July, when there was nearly two hundred deaths among the troops, caused, it was said, by malaria and bad water. The apprehension of General Clay of another attack was caused by the arrival of a Frenchman, and a private of Colonel Dudley's regiment who had been a prisoner and who arrived from Detroit on June 20th. The force of the Indians was placed TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 607 at 4,000, and reinforcements from Niagara of 1,000 British regulars were expected. The news was immediately communicated to General Harrison at Franklinton (Columbus), who set out immediately for Lower Sandusky where he believed the enemy would strike. On the evening of June 26, General Harrison overtook the 24th Regiment on its way to Lower Sandusky, and immediately selected all the men able to make a forced march,. about 300 in number, which troops were pushed forward to Fort Meigs under command of Colonel Anderson. General Harrison arrived at Fort Meigs in the evening of June 28, a few hours before Anderson's forces came in. General Harrison ordered a detachment of Colonel Johnson's mounted regiment to proceed the next day to River Raisin, to gain intelligence of the enemy. Colonel Johnson took command of the detachment in person, and on the following day returned to the fort without learning of anything alarming. Consequently, General Harrison returned to Lower Sandusky. His further movements are not at this point pertinent to this story, so the narrative will resume the daily life at Fort Meigs, going back to June 20th, when General Clay became apprehensive of another attack of Proctor. At this date a clause in Clay's order read as follows: "The commandants at Upper Sandusky and Lower Sandusky, Forts Findlay and McArthur and at Block-house (carrying river), will without one moment's loss of time cause their respective commands to be placed in the best possible situation to repel any attack which may be made on them by the enemy. The commandants at Fort Winchester (Defiance) and Wayne, will without one moment's loss of time cause the garrisons under their respective commands to be placed in the best possible situation to repel any attack. * * * Capt. E. D. Wood of the Engineers is appointed aide to General Clay." One of the important features of this order is that the block-house "at the carrying river," meaning the Portage River, at the old Hull camp just south of the present village of Portage, Wood County, is given such. prominence again. It shows that this block-house was occupied by troops all during the War of 1812. June 20th, was also a busy day for courts-martial sentences. The trial of Solomon Cook, a private in Captain Nearing's company, charged with desertion, had begun on the 15th. He was sentenced to carry a six-pound ball fastened to his ankle with a chain, for 39 days; his whiskey rations to be stopped for the 608 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY same time; he was to be put to hard labor for that period; ride a wooden horse for six evenings during the evening parades; half his pay to be stopped for 39 days and that he be drummed from the parade ground to the upper gate and back, with half his head shaved, at the expiration of the sentence. Nathan Osborn, a private in Captain Chunn's company, who deserted from Lower Sandusky on the night of June 2, was given practically the same sentence. Robert Burkley, a private of the U. S. Infantry, a sentinel who slept at his post near block-house No. 1, was put to hard labor for ten days and his rations of whiskey stopped for that period. Other convictions were for disobedience of orders, unofficer-like conduct, ungentleman-like conduct, breach of trust, etc. There were others who were found not guilty and were returned to duty. Here follows in the record of orders a long list of promotions and orders concerning inspection and stricter police duty. Then came the glorious Fourth of July with the following order under that date : "The General announces to the troops under his command the return of this day, which gave Liberty and Independence to the United States of America, and orders that a national salute be fired under the superintendence and direction of Captains Gratiot and Cushing. All the troops reported fit for duty shall receive an extra gill of whiskey, and those in confinement, and those under sentence attached to this camp, be forthwith released and ordered to join their respective corps. The General is induced to use this lenity, alone from the consideration of this ever memorable day, and flatters himself that in future the soldiers under his command will better appreciate their liberty by a steady adherence to duty and prompt compliance to the orders of their officers, by which alone they are worthy to enjoy the blessings of that Liberty and Independence, the only real legacy left us by our Fathers. All court-martials now constituted in this camp are hereby abolished. There will be no fatigue this day." From continued reports it was evident that Proctor was organizing a more formidable army for another attack somewhere in this territory, consequently General Clay kept vigilant watch and himself well informed, although he was handicapped by illness all through the campaign. The records of orders show that on July 14, Clay issued an order providing for the selection of forty men requisitioned from the various corps to act as scouts TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 609 and rangers, with Wiley Martin appointed their commander. Rigid restrictions were also placed upon soldiers leaving the fort and other precautions taken. On July 20, a party was sent down towards the Maumee Bay by land and another by boats, which proceeded a few miles out into the lake. All returned without making any discovery, except that they heard heavy firing towards Malden. On the same evening, however, Lieutenant Peters, conductor of artillery, who was returning with a few men from Lower Sandusky, was pursued by a party of Indians, and late in the evening men from the British army were distinctly seen down the river. Early on the morning of the 21st, a picket guard from Fort Meigs was sent below the fort about 300 yards, where they were surprised by Indians and seven were either killed or captured. A large army of British and Indians were now seen encamped below Fort Miami on the west side of the river, and soon thereafter a large force of Indians took possession of the woods back of Fort Meigs. They drove off some horses and oxen before being discovered. The original Record of Military orders at hand, contains an order issued by Commanding General Clay and dated July 21, which reads as follows : "The enemy having again presented themselves, it will be necessary to repel them with every exertion in our power. The indisposition and lameness of the General precludes his general attention throughout the garrison, and has compelled him to impose additional duties on the field officers. Colonel Miller, Major Johnson, and Captain Butler commanding the Independent Battalion of Volunteers, will take immediate command of so much of the encampment as has already been designated and laid out to them. Colonel Miller will take immediate command of the Regular Troops from their junction with Major Johnson's Battalion and to block-house No. 2; Colonel Boswell will take command of the troops from block-house No. 2, to block-house No. 1. The disposition of the troops will be as during the former siege as to guard." The troops were ordered to "sleep upon their arms," and the general felt that he would receive every aid and support from the officers "that his ill health may require." The order states that while reinforcements were at hand the present force was "ample for defense." "The preservation of the lives of helpless thousands, the honor of the American character and army, depend on the maintenance 610 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY of this post. * * * Strolling about the garrison when not on business is most positively forbid. * * * Fires and lights must be extinguished from sunset until sunrise." These are the most important points of this long order. On the 23rd, a large body of mounted Indians some eight hundred strong, was seen passing up the west side of the river with the supposed intention of attacking Fort Winchester (Defiance). It was only a ruse. The important points of an order issued by General Clay dated July 24, said "the movements of the enemy indicate an attack of some description. We have with little loss once repulsed the enemy with a force far inferior to our present. No one can doubt but we are more than competent to do it again. In case of an attack, to make the destruction of the enemy more complete, the most perfect silence will be enforced by the officers. No one will speak or attempt to give an order but those vested with commands. To fight is to conquer; to abandon our posts is to suffer disgrace and the most shocking massacre. * * * Should there, however, be any one so lost to every sense of honor as shamefully to abandon his post or order a retreat without proper authority, he shall suffer death." On the evening of the day this order was issued, as everything was quiet about the fort, Colonel Gaines with 200 men went out to the edge of the woods and made a circuit of the fort to ascertain if any batteries had yet been planted by the British. A strong detachment of the enemy was sent across the river to attack Gaines, but he returned to the fort before being intercepted. On. July 25, the British removed their camp from below Fort Miami across to the east side of the river and located behind a point of woods which partly concealed them from the American garrison. This caused a belief that they would attempt to take the fort by storm. When General Harrison at Lower Sandusky, on his return from Cleveland, learned of the arrival of the British and Indians at Fort Meigs, he removed his headquarters to Senecatown, nine miles up the Sandusky River, where he constructed a fortified camp called Fort Seneca and left Major Croghan with 160 regulars at Fort Stephenson (Fremont site). Harrison's force at Seneca was about six hundred, and he was soon joined by 500 regulars from Kentucky. From here he could protect his left flank, or if necessary take a secret route to join General Clay at Fort Meigs. Harrison believed the movement of the Indians toward Foil Winchester was a feint to draw the attention of TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 611 the Americans from an attack upon Fort Stephenson, which proved correct. An order of General Clay at Fort Meigs dated July 26, shows that Generals Harrison and Clay kept well in touch with each other. This order among other things says: "The intelligence just received from the Commander-in-Chief is of the most favorable character. Large bodies of troops are rapidly collecting and whenever it is necessary, we shall receive reinforcements. The Commander-in-Chief puts great confidence in the troops here and feels that they are fully able to repulse any force which the enemy may bring against us. * * * The enemy are still around us and in large bodies. Let every one continue to be firm and vigilant at his post for a few days more. * * * The battery recently erected near block-house No. 7 will be called the Tennessee battery, that near the Wood Battery, will be called the Henderson battery. Every officer and soldier of the garrison should know the names and numbers and situations of the diferent batteries and block-houses." On the evening of the same day that the foregoing order was issued by General Clay, a heavy firing began on the military road towards Lower Sandusky about a mile east from Fort Meigs. The discharge of rifles and musketry, accompanied by Indian yells could be clearly heard, as the apparent battle gradually approached towards the fort then again receded. General Clay pronounced it a sham battle intended to draw out the troops from Fort Meigs to relieve probable approaching reinforcements for the fort coming by way of Lower Sandusky. The sham was well staged and lasted about an hour. But to the chagrin of Proctor and Tecumseh, it failed to delude the alert Americans. The next day the British and Indians moved over to their old camp below Fort Miami, and on the 28th of July, embarked in their vessels and abandoned the siege. The British and Indian forces at this second siege, numbered about five thousand and the American army at Fort Meigs under General Clay numbered something near twenty-five hundred. Proctor and Tecumseh now turned their attention to Lower Sandusky. The orders issued by General Clay, commander of the post, following the departure of the enemy complimented the American officers and men for their display of patriotism and bravery. This was followed by an order dated August 1, calling for a general cleanup of the camp, including the draining of the ditches of stagnant water, and the surplus guns cleaned and returned to 612 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the ordnance department. No one was permitted to cross the river "or go to the Islands, without written permission of the General." The prisoners taken from the guard house on the appearance of the enemy were to be returned there. There were evidently some women at the fort, as a clause in this order reads that "any married woman who has or shall abandon her husband and be found strolling about camp, or lodging in the tents of other men, shall be drummed out of camp." August 2nd, 1813, the day of the British and Indian attack and their defeat at Fort Stephenson, General Clay at Fort Meigs issued an order of much importance at the present day, which concerns the status of the block-house heretofore referred to, situated on the west branch of the Portage River and just south of the present village of Portage, in Wood County. When Gen. Wm. Hull, in June 1812, marched from Dayton to Detroit with his army, his advance forces in cutting a road through the wilderness, established Fort McArthur (near present Kenton), Fort Findlay at the site of Findlay, and established a fortified camp on the south, or rather east side of the Portage River as above indicated, and at a point where the river runs nearly north, before it makes a sharp bend to the east. Little has been known of this military post, always referred to as Hull's Camp. There is still a well there some twenty feet deep, walled with stone, dug by Hull's or later troops. This order of General Clay's, above referred to, indicates that there was a block-house at this camp and that the post, situated on an elevation, was recognized as a strategical point. Here is the order referred to : "Camp Meigs, Aug. 2nd, 1813 "General Order : "Captains Hatfield and Simonton of the Ohio line, will immediately march their respective companies to Portage Block-house Should that post be entirely destroyed by the enemy, Captai Hatfield will return to this garrison and Captain Simonton proceed to Fort Findlay and take command of that post. "Should Portage Block-house not be destroyed, Captain Hatfield will maintain that post until further orders. Captain Simonton will, in that event, also proceed to Findlay and take command until further orders. Should Captain Hatfield remain at Portage, Captain Simonton will immediately on his arrival at Findlay, cause a supply of provisions to be brought to Portage, and from time to time continue to send on such supplies under proper escort, as Captain Hatfield may require. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 613 "Any pack horses at the Portage or Findlay, will be sent on to this post; except such as may be necessary for the transportation of provisions; and the commandants at Portage and Findlay, will cause, if practicable, weekly returns to be made to the commanding officer here of the state of their commands. "In this separation of troops which this General has for some time had the honor to command, it is due to Captains Hatfield and Simonton and their subaltern officers and men, to assure them that their services while at this post entitles them to the thanks and confidence of the General and that of their country. "By order of G. Clay Corn. Gen'l. "J. H. Hawkins A. D. C." As there is no record of any British or Indian attack this far south on the old Hull's Trail after Tecumseh with a force of Indians, in August 1812, pursued a relief party to near Fort Findlay on their return from near Detroit, the block-house at Portage River was no doubt found intact by Captain Hatfield and his company and by them occupied until at least late in 1813. Orders following that concerning the occupation of the posts at the Portage River and the Blanchard Forks, treated of courts-martial and matters of detail. While this story of operations about Fort Meigs is being told, although out of chronological order, it is believed proper to continue it through until its abandonment, and take up the operations at Fort Stephenson, the battle of Lake Erie and Harrison's defeat of Proctor in their order, later. Late in the evening of August 2nd, after Croghan's gallant defense of Fort Stephenson, General Harrison received word at his headquarters at Fort Seneca, that the British and Indians under Proctor were preparing to retreat, and also learned that Tecumseh with some two thousand warriors was somewhere in the direction of Fort Meigs. General Harrison immediately issued a combination order dated August 2nd at Fort Seneca, in which he complimented General Clay and his officers and men for their conduct in defending Fort Meigs. Harrison said that "nothing but the firm and undaunted courage exhibited by the (Fort Meigs) garrison prevented an attempt to storm the post." The General, however, observed that what the result would have been could only be judged by a "similar attempt upon a smaller, weaker and worse managed garrison at Lower Sandusky." This later affair, continued Harrison's order, "reflects the highest honor on Major Croghan, the commandant, his officers and non- 614 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY commissioned officers and soldiers." Following, the General pays honor to Captain Hunter and other under officers in the defense of Fort Stephenson, "for the skill and coolness manifested by them in the management of a piece of artillery (the old cannon `Betsey'), which contributed so largely to the defeat of the enemy." Up to this time General Harrison's plan of campaign had been defensive, awaiting the control of Lake Erie by the American fleet, before his advance upon Lower Canada. The General now began active preparations for this invasion and kept in close touch with Commander Perry whose engagement with the British was soon expected. Even the orders to the commissary at Fort Meigs show this preparation, General Harrison issuing an order dated August 21st, requiring "the baking of biscuit to be carried on to the greatest amount and with the greatest expedition." Seventy extra men were requisitioned to assist in this work to serve two weeks. Brig.-Gen. Duncan McArthur was sent about this time to relieve General Clay and to take the command of Fort Meigs, with instructions to "draw in the pickets and construct the fortifications on a smaller scale and also make arrangements for embarking the heavy artillery, with such military stores as might be found necessary." This order of the 21st, also ordered the deputy quartermaster, to "procure as many waggoners as the public service may require during the building of the new fort at Camp Meigs." The first order in the Record of Military Orders, from which this portion of this story was in the main taken, signed by General McArthur, is dated at Fort Meigs Sept. 3, 1813. It relates simply to camp regulations. Seven days after this came Commodore Perry's victory on Lake Erie, the news of which was received by General Harrison at his headquarters at Fort Seneca, on the Sandusky River, September 12, two days after the battle. General Harrison with all speed now marshalled his forces for his invasion of Canada and an engagement with the British forces under Proctor, for which project Perry was ready at the mouth of the Portage River to embark Harrison's troops. The projected route was by way of Bass Island (Put-in-Bay), to the mouth of the Detroit River and Malden. On the evening of September 16, 1813, Gen. Duncan McArthur who had superseded General Clay in the command at Fort Meigs, received orders there from General Harrison, Comm- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 615 der-in-Chief, to embark the main artillery, military stores and provisions at that place in vessels, which were sent from the south shore of the lake to receive them; also to march the regular troops at Fort Meigs across the country to rendezvous at the mouth of the Portage River, preparatory to their embarkation with the rest of the army. General McArthur had according to orders, already rebuilt Fort Meigs, reducing its size to a much smaller post in the up-river corner of the old works which had enclosed some eleven acres. The orders for the march of the troops to the mouth of the Portage was speedily executed. The remaining Kentucky troops at Fort Meigs under General Clay, had determined to accompany General Harrison on the Canadian campaign, although their term of service had nearly expired ; and General Clay had particularly solicited Governor Meigs of Ohio for leave to accompany Harrison, in case his men were not permitted to go. Clay and his suite and a number of his men embarked in the transport vessels which had come to Fort Meigs for the stores. The Kentucky mounted regiment under Col. R. M. Johnson mentioned previously, which was also at Fort Meigs, received orders from General Harrison to camp under the guns of the fort and await further orders. All troops were anxious to accompany Harrison on his campaign into Canada, and while all could not be taken, there was much "uneasiness" for the honor. In bringing down the military stores from the posts on the Sandusky River, to prevent the extra carriage of some forty miles from the mouth of the Sandusky around the lake to the mouth of the Portage where the forces were to embark, a land carriage was made across the isthmus between the Sandusky and the Portage. This was accomplished between. September 15th and the 20th, while the army was making other necessary arrangements. One important move was the construction of a brush fence across the narrow part of the isthmus from the Sandusky to the Portage. Upon the peninsula of some sixty thousand acres, the horses of the army were turned loose for pasturage, until the return of the army from Canada. After the successful campaign, these horses were taken up after some difficulty in the roundup. Following General Harrison in his campaign into Canada, while outside the real story of Fort Meigs itself, concerns the General and force who were at the fort during the operations there. On September 20th, 1813, General Harrison embarked with the regular troops under Generals Cass and McArthur, and 616 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Perry's boats landed the army the same day at Middle Bass Island, Put-in-Bay. The next day Governor Shelby of Kentucky followed with the troops under his command. The whole army remained on Bass Island September 24, awaiting further stores. During this stay on the island the Kentucky militia left by General Clay at Fort Meigs arrived at the mouth of the Portage to join the expedition. Their services not being required, they were discharged and returned to their homes. The Orderly Book or Record of Military Orders which has several times been referred to, evidently sailed with General Harrison's army. For it contains the order of General Harrison made at "Headquarters Bass Island," prescribing the plan of debarkation of the army on their landing at Malden on the Canadian side of the Detroit River, and of the order of march and of battle. Among the officers mentioned, are Governor Shelby of Kentucky acting as Major-General, Lieutenant-Colonel Ball, Brigade Commanders Generals McArthur and Cass, the riflemen under Colonel Simrall, General Calmes, Major-General Henry, and the artillery under Major, later Colonel Wood, the builder of Fort Meigs. While General Harrison is proceeding to Malden with most of his army, attention will be turned again to Col. R. M. Johnson and his mounted regiment of 700 Kentuckians, General Harrison caused to remain at Fort Meigs, to await future orders, and straining to be unleashed against the enemy. On September 20th, a Lieutenant Griffith who had been sent by Colonel Johnson with a scouting party to the River Raisin (Monroe site), returned to Fort Meigs with an Indian prisoner named Misselemetaw, a chief counsellor to Tecumseh and uncle to the celebrated Logan. He had been head chief at the Massacre of Pigeon Root and his story to Colonel Johnson is worth the space in the telling. He said that the Indians had been watching the movements of Johnson's mounted army and had seen them arrive at Fort Meigs and that they believed his forces amounted to near twenty-five hundred. The chief further stated that the Indians about Brownstown (on the American side of the Detroit River) amounting to about seventeen hundred and fifty warriors, had determined to give Johnson's troops battle at the (Michigan) River Huron, and that they were still ignorant of the defeat of the British fleet. This captive's story reached back to the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, and he said the British had supplied the Prophet's warriors with ammunition before the battle of Tippe- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 617 canoe—Harrison's early success; that Tecumseh's plan of a common property in the Indian lands had been strongly recommended and praised by the celebrated British Colonel Elliott, and that the British had used every means in their power since 1809, to secure the aid of the Indians in the event of war with the United States. Lastly, that the Indians were to receive British aid to drive the Americans over the Ohio River, after which they should live in the white men's houses. Captain Coleman who had been sent from Fort Meigs to Harrison's headquarters at the mouth of Portage River, returned with the information that Colonel Johnson and his regiment would soon be called upon for duty, and on September 25th, an express arrived at Fort Meigs ordering the regiment to march immediately to the River Raisin and that Harrison's army the next day would probably land in Canada. Early on the morning of September 26th, the mounted troops left Fort Meigs, Colonel Johnson taking with him four pieces of light artillery, as he expected to meet the Indians near Brownstown. At Frenchtown (Monroe), were only a few French families, and the bones of the Kentuckians massacred in Winchester's defeat, were found scattered and bleaching for three miles on this side of the River Raisin, having been torn up after their previous burial.. Soon after the Raisin was passed, an express arrived from General Harrison with information that Proctor had burned Malden and that his army had fled into the interior. On October 1st, Johnson and his mounted troops caught up with General Harrison's main army in pursuit of Proctor and the forces of the British and the Indian warriors under Tecumseh. It will be only briefly mentioned that the British and Indians finally made a stand at the River Thames, October 5, 1813, that Proctor's army was cut to pieces, Chief Tecumseh slain, and in his flight, General Proctor himself narrowly escaped capture. The battle broke the back of British militarism in the West and their attempted control of the Maumee country with the rest. Going back a step in this story, when General Harrison crossed over into Canada after Proctor, it was necessary that a considerable force be left at Detroit to protect the citizens of Michigan Territory from the depredations of the Indians, with which Proctor had threatened them before his retreat. Therefore, after crossing Lake Erie with Harrison's army, the brigade of General McArthur was left at Detroit and their place in the 618 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY lines was supplied by the forces of General Calmes, although McArthur himself kept on with the main army. Following General Harrison's annihilation of the British army and the forces of the Indian warriors, and the flight of Proctor, Harrison early on October 7, left the American army at the Thames River under the immediate command of Governor Shelby of Kentucky and returned to Detroit. The different army corps soon followed, having embarked the immense quantity of captured property, including the British artillery, a great variety of military stores and 5,000 stands of small arms, in boats upon the Thames. On October 10th, all troops arrived with the British prisoners at Sandwich on the Detroit River and on the 12th, Colonel Johnson's mounted troops crossed over the river to American soil at Spring Wells, and the next day the Kentucky infantry crossed over at the mouth of the River Rouge. The latter troops complained at not having water transportation back to the point of embarkation on the south shore of Lake Erie (at the mouth of Portage River, where is now Port Clinton), but when General Harrison explained that the fleet was required for other important duty they were reconciled to return on foot by way of the River Raisin. At the Maumee Bay they received a supply of provisions from Fort Meigs, and crossing the lower Maumee, arrived at the mouth of the Portage River October 19, after suffering greatly from cold and fatigue. During the different movements, two American schooners, the Ohio and Chippewa, with supplies, were so nearly wrecked in a storm on Lake Erie, that a large part of the baggage and supplies were thrown overboard. General Harrison now being ordered by the government to take part in the campaign directed at Fort George, he left General Cass in command at Detroit and sailed across the lake with some thirteen hundred troops and October 22, 1813, arrived at Erie (Pa.) where Perry's fleet was built. The presence of General Cass being required at the trial of Gen. William Hull, at Albany, N. Y., the command at Detroit devolved upon Col. Anthony Butler who was appointed governor of Michigan Territory. The attention of the reader will here be turned again to the post at Detroit. An order in this old record of orders dated October 21, 1813, provided for the sale of the property captured from the enemy, at 2 o'clock that day, under the direction of Colonel Wells and two other officers. This order also says that TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 619 the conduct of the soldiers in the town (Detroit) "outrages common decency." A designated "After General Order" was issued from the Brigade Major's Office, dated at Detroit October 21, which reads as follows: "After General Order: "The following has been received from the office of the Adjt. General. "Extract from an after general order dated Headquarters on board the U. S. schooner Ariel, 18th October, 1813 : "It is the intention of the General (Harrison) that Brig.-General Cass should possess as it regards that part of Upper Canada that is in our possession, all the power that appertained to the executive authority established by the British government in said Province. "Signed by Command "E. P. Gaines, Adjt. Gen." This order was evidently issued by General Harrison while on Lake Erie enroute for Erie (Pa.) with his troops and bound for the Niagara campaign. An order dated October 27, says that General Harrison directs that "those persons who have been driven from their homes by the enemy in consequence of their attachment (loyalty) to our government and whose families are in distress for provisions," should be assisted from the public stores. Orders dated at Detroit November 15th prohibited the "distillation of Grain" on account of its scarcity, and threatened severe punishment for the practice. Numerous orders dated at Detroit from late in October 1813, up to January 1814, show that on account of the rigors of war having subsided and the enemy subdued, the reaction brought the troops to the verge of insubordination, and being out from under the influence of their Commander-in-Chief, they were kept under reasonable control with difficulty. The guard house was evidently filled with prisoners to its capacity. However, the underlying spirit of patriotism prevailed and the pages of this old order record are closed to follow Fort Meigs in the closing days of its career. Fort Meigs evidently was garrisoned by troops for some time after the Treaty of Ghent, in December 1814. The Indians along the Maumee were still in an ugly mood, committed many depredations and murdered a few of the settlers who returned after 620 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the war. Some of the old fort timber and planks from scows used in bringing army supplies down the river were utilized by the settlers in building homes. In the summer of 1815, two vessels carried a greater part of the government supplies and ordnance to Detroit. The schooner Blacksnake, Capt. Jacob Wilkinson, took off a cargo of guns and stores the same season and the fort which had been garrisoned by Lieut. Almon Gibbs and about forty men, was abandoned. For the convenience of the fort and sparse surrounding settlement, Gibbs had in May 1814, been appointed postmaster and the office was named Fort Meigs. All the lower Maumee country for some time went under the general name of Fort Meigs. Incoming settlers, many of them, until they could establish themselves in their own cabins, lived in the old block-houses. The palisades and other timber served for many useful purposes as long as it lasted. Finally strife arose about the right to occupy the block-houses and they were burned to the ground. From their ashes there arose peace. This narrative will now revert to the detailed account of Colonel Croghan at Fort Stephenson, Perry on Lake Erie and Harrison's advance into Canada. CHAPTER XLV STORY OF FORT STEPHENSON ATTACK BY BRITISH AND INDIANS-HARRISON'S MOVEMENTS AND ORDERS TO CROGHAN-COLONEL CROGHAN'S GALLANT DEFENSE OF THE POST -BRITISH UNDER PROCTOR RETIRE TO MALDEN-OLD "BETSY"-HARRISON PREPARES ADVANCE AGAINST BRITISH-LOCAL STORIES OF FORT STEPHENSON-FINAL TRIBUTE TO CROGHAN. The forces which Colonel Proctor and Chief Tecumseh brought against Fort Meigs at the so called second siege of that important defense, numbered in British and Indians 5,000, in which the latter predominated about three to one. It was the largest number of Indians collected in one body during the whole war. After the siege had been raised on July 28, 1813, Proctor with his British army sailed around into Sandusky Bay, while a large complement of his savage allies marched across through the swamps of the Portage River to cooperate on a combined attack against Lower Sandusky and Fort Stephenson. They evidently expected that on account of the Indian demonstration towards Fort Winchester, General Harrison's attention would be chiefly directed towards the latter place and the upper Maumee. The General, however, had calculated on their taking the course they did, and had been alert in keeping patrols down the Sandusky Bay opposite the mouth of the Portage River, where he believed their forces would mostly land. Continuing the story as told by McAfee, 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, as 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 - 621 - 622 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY was calculated for a garrison of only 200 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 burned, 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 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 second siege of Fort Meigs; and as the Indians on that day had swarmed in the woods round his camp, General Harrison entertained no doubt but that an immediate attack was intended either on Sandusky or Seneca. The General, therefore, immediately called a council of war, consisting of M'Arthur, 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 us, that the garrison should therefore, not be reinforced but withdrawn and the place destroyed. In pursuance of this decision the General from his position at Fort Seneca, nine miles up the Sandusky from Fort Stephenson, immediately dispatched the following order to Major Croghan : "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." This order was sent by Mr. Connor and two Indians who lost their way in the dark, and did not arrive at Fort Stephenson before 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. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 623 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 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." In writing this 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 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, etc. "A. H. Holmes, Asst. Adjt. Gen." The squadron of dragoons on this trip, consisting of 100 horses, met with a party of Indians near Lower Sandusky and killed eleven out of twelve. The action is known as "Ball's Battle." The Indians had formed an ambush and fired on the advanced guard consisting of a sergeant and five privates. Upon 624 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY seeing the squadron approach they fled, but were pursued and soon overtaken by the front squad of Captain. Hopkins' troops. The greater part of them were cut down by Colonel Ball and Captain Hopkins with his subalterns, whose horses being the fleetest overtook them first. The loss of the squadron was two privates wounded and two horses killed. Israel Harrington, a resident of Lower Sandusky at the time of the engagement and one of the first associate judges of Sandusky County told a somewhat different story than McAfee's account. He related that three days after the battle he passed over the scene and counted thereon thirteen dead Indians fearfully cut up and mangled by the dragoons. The scene of the engagement was about a mile and a half southwest of Fremont on the west bank of the river. There is a section in that part of the city known as Ballville. There was an oak tree on the site of the action, known to old residents up to within a few years, said to have shown seventeen notches in it to indicate the number of Indians killed. Another account says the squadron was moving toward the fort when it was suddenly fired upon by the Indians from the west side of the road, whereupon Colonel Ball ordered a charge and he with his suite and the right flank being in advance, first came into action. The Colonel struck the first blow. He dashed in between two savages and cut down the one on the right. The other being slightly in the rear, struck a blow with his tomahawk at Ball's back, when by a sudden spring of the latter's horse, it fell short and was buried deep in the cantel and pad of his saddle. Before the savage could repeat the blow he was shot by Corporal Ryan. Lieutenant Hedges, later General Hedges of Mansfield, following in the rear and mounted on a small horse, pursued a giant Indian and just as he had come up with him, his stirrup broke and he fell headfirst off his horse knocking the Indian down. Both sprang to their feet, when Hedges struck the Indian over the head and as he was falling, buried his sword up to its hilt in his body. At this stage Captain Hopkins was seen on the left side in pursuit of a powerful savage, when the latter turned and made a blow at the Captain with his tomahawk, at which Hopkins' horse sprang to one side. Cornet Hayes then came up and the Indian also struck at him, his horse in like manner causing the blow to be evaded. Sergeant Anderson now arriving, the Indian was soon dispatched. By the time the skirmish was over, the Indians who were about twenty in number, according to this story, being nearly all cut down, an TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 625 order was given to retreat to the main squadron. Colonel Ball formed his men ready for a charge, should the Indians appear in force and moved down to the fort without further molestation, where they arrived about 4 P. M. (Among Colonel Ball's troopers was a private, James Webb, the father of Lucy Webb Hayes, whose old flint-lock rifle and hunting horn are among the Spiegel Grove collections, donated by Col. Webb C. Hayes.) Colonel Wells being left in the command of Fort Stephenson, Major Croghan returned with the squadron to headquarters at Fort Seneca. He there explained his motives for writing such a note, which were 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 Harrison's headquarters to the shore of the lake, about twenty miles distant from Fort Stephenson, discovered the approach of the enemy by water on the evening of the 31st of July. They returned by the fort, after 12 o'clock the next day, and passed it but a few hours, when the enemy made their appearance before it. The Indians showed themselves first on the hill east 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 5 1/2-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 were 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 626 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY be restrained from massacring 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 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 restrained the Indian, affected great anxiety to get Shipp safe into the fort. The enemy now opened fire from their six-pounders in the gunboats and the howitzer on shore, which continued through the night with but little intermission, and with very little effect. The forces of the enemy consisted of 500 British 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 2,000 Indians, expecting to intercept a reinforcement on that route. Major Croghan through the evening occasionally fired his six-pounder, at the same time changing its place occasionally to induce 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 commandant to believe that an attempt to storm his works would be made 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 exertion 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 grapeshot. Early in the morning of the 2nd, 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 north 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 TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 627 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 Pittsburg Blues, who happened to be in the fort, was entrusted 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 towards the southern angle, where Captain Hunter's lines were formed : and at the same time a column of 350 men were 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 Shortt who headed the principal column soon rallied his men and led them with great bravery to the brink of the ditch. After a momentary 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 consequence, although some of the officers attempted to rally their men. The other column, which was led by Colonel Warburton 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 small 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 Shortt, a lieutenant, and twenty-five privates dead in the ditch, and the total number of prisoners taken was twenty-six, most of them badly wounded. Major Muir, famous with the British at Fort Meigs, 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 would not be less than 150 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 628 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY 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 defeated 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 3 o'clock, the whole British and Indian force commenced a disorderly retreat. So great was their precipitation that they left a sailboat 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, 'round the fort. Their hurry and confusion was caused by the apprehension of an attack from General Harrison, of whose position and force they had probably received an exaggerated account. It was the intention of General Harrison, should the enemy succeed against Fort Stephenson, or should they endeavor to turn his left and fall on Upper Sandusky, 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 1st, 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 determined to wait for the arrival of 250 mounted volunteers under Colonel Rennick, being the advance of 700 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 own. On the 2nd, he sent several scouts to ascertain their situation and force; but the woods were so infested with Indians that none of them could proceed sufficiently near the fort to make the necessary discoveries. In the night a messenger arrived at Fort Seneca with intelligence that the enemy were preparing to retreat. About 9 o'clock, Major Croghan had ascertained from their collecting about their boats, that they were preparing to embark, and had immediately sent an express to the commander-in-chief with this information. The General now determined to wait no longer for the reinforcements, and immediately set out with the dragoons, with which he reached the fort early in the morning, having ordered Generals M'Arthur 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 numero sick, and the force necessary to maintain the position, were I TOLEDO AND THE, SANDUSKY REGION - 629 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 2,000 warriors, he immediately ordered the infantry to fall back to Seneca, lest Tecumseh should make an attack on that place, or intercept the small reinforcements advancing from the south. In his official report of this affair, General Harrison observes that, "It will not be among 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 George Rogers Clarke. "Captain Hunter of the 17th regiment, the second in command, conducted himself with great propriety; and never was there a set of finer young fellows than the subalterns, viz : Lieutenants Johnson and Taylor of the 17th, Anthony of the 42nd, Meeks of the 7th, and Ensigns Shipp and Duncan of the 17th." Lieutenant Anderson of the 24th was also noticed for his good conduct. 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," reported Major Croghan, "cannot 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 Croghan by the President of the United States, for his gallant conduct on this occasion. The ladies of Chillicothe also presented him an elegant sword, accompanied by a suitable address. Among the scouts sent down the bay, after the enemy had retreated from Fort Stephenson, was a little party of Wyandot Indians, who surprised and captured a few British soldiers, who had been left behind in the retreat. The Indians brought them to camp without doing them any injury; and conscious that they had done their duty, they were frequently seen telling the story to their brother warriors, and laughing at the terror which had been manfested by the soldiers, who no doubt expected to be massacred or carried off and destroyed by torture. But the Indians who followed the American standard had not, like those in the British service, been encouraged to commit the most horrible barbarities. Col. Webb C. Hayes has obtained from Washington the fol- 22-VOL. 1 630 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY lowing list of officers and men who were in the fort when the British assault was made: Major George Croghan, Seventeenth U. S. Infantry, commanding. Captain James Hunter. First lieutenant, Benjamin Johnson; second lieutenant, Cyrus A. Baylor; ensign, Edmund Shipp; ensign, Joseph Duncan all of the Seventeenth U. S. Infantry. First lieutenant, Joseph Anthony, Twenty-fourth U. S. Infantry. Second lieutenant, John Meek, Seventh U. S. Infantry. Petersburg Volunteers. Pittsburg Blues. Greensburg Riflemen. Captain Hunter's Company—Sergeants, Wayne Case, James Huston, Obadiah Norton. Corporals, Mathew Burns, William Ewing, John Maxwell. Privates, Pleasant Bailey, Samuel Brown, Elisha Condiff, Thomas Crickman, Ambrose Dean, Leonard George, Nathaniel Gill, John Harley, Jonathan Hartley, William McDonald, Joseph McKee, Frederick Metts, Rice Millender, John Mumman, Samuel Pearsall, Daniel Perry, William Ralph, John Rankin, Elisha Rathbun, Aaron Ray, Robert Row, John Salley, John Savage, John Smith, Thomas Striplin, William Sutherland, Martin Tanner, John Zett, David Perry. Captain Duncan's Company—First lieutenant, Benjami Johnson, commanding. Second lieutenant, Cyrus A. Baylor. Sergeants—Henry Lowall, Thomas McCaul, John M. Stotts, Natley 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 Hartly, William Johnson, Elisha Jones, Thomas Linchard, William McClelland, Joseph McKee, John Martin, Ezekiel Mitchell, William Ro- gers, David Sudderfield, Thomas Taylor, John Williams. Detachment Twenty-fourth U. S. 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. The war records at Washington do not show the names of the TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 631 volunteers who were detached and assigned to the service, hence out of the 160 Americans in the fort at the time, only seventy-eight names are of record. To show the English viewpoint on the assault, the following is taken from the Gentlemen's Magazine, an English publication, and is an extract from a dispatch forwarded by Sir C. Provost: "St. Davids, Niagara Frontier, August 25 (1813)—MajorGeneral Proctor having given away to the clamor of our Indian allies to act offensively, moved forward on the 20th ult. with about three hundred and fifty of the Forty-first Regiment, and between three thousand and four thousand Indians, and on the 2nd inst. attempted to carry by assault the block-houses and works at Sandusky where the enemy had 'concentrated a considerable force. The Indians, however, previous to the assault, withdrew themselves out of reach of the enemy's fire. The handful of His Majesty's troops employed on this occasion, displayed the greatest bravery; nearly the whole of them having reached the fort and made every effort to enter it; but a galling and destructive fire being kept up by the enemy from within the blockhouses and from behind the picketing which completely protected them and which we had not the means to force, the major-general thought it most prudent not to continue longer so unavailing a combat; he accordingly drew off the assailants and returned to Sandwich with the loss of twenty-five killed, as many missing, and about forty wounded. Amongst the killed are Brevet Lieutenant Shortt and Lieut. J. C. Gordon, of the Forty-first Regiment." Basil Meek's "History of Sandusky County" (1909) has this: "In the published plan of the environs of Fort Sandusky, the spot where the British officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Shortt and Lieutenant Gordon, were buried, is marked. The high school building now covers this spot; and in 1891, while excavations for the building were being made, graves and bones of two soldiers were found. Metallic buttons were also found in these graves, bearing the number of the regiment, 41, stamped on them, which appeared on buttons usually belonging to the uniform of British officers. "Mr. H. S. Dorr, of Fremont, has in his possession these buttons. "Colonel Shortt was the commanding officer of the Forty-first Regiment of British Regulars, and Lieutenant Gordan was an officer in the regiment. 632 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY "Further indications that these bodies were those of officers appeared in the fact that they had been buried in caskets, remains of which were also found in the graves. "Mr. Dorr, soon after finding these buttons, was showing them to President Hayes, who informed Mr. Dorr that he had read in some book of a foreign bishop named Gordon, who was reported as saying that the sorrow of his life was the loss of a son in a battle in an obscure point in North America, called Fort Sandusky, by which name the British designated the fort. "From an English work, the 'Dictionary of National Biography,' the following facts are gathered : "The father of Lieutenant Gordon was James Bentley Gordon (1750-1819), of Londonderry, Ireland, who graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1773, took Holy Orders, and subsequently was presented with the living, first of Cannaway in Cork and finally that of Killegney in Wexford, which he retained till his death in April, 1819. He was a zealous student of history and geography and a voluminous writer of books on such topics, among which were `Terraquea, or a New System of Geography and Modern History,' A History of the Rebellion in Ireland in 1798,' 'A History of the British Islands,' An Historical and Commercial Memoir of the North American Continent.' He married in 1779, a daughter of Richard Bookey, of Wicklow, by whom he had several children. His eldest son, James Geo. Gordon, entered the army and was killed at Fort Sandusky in August, 1813, and Meek further says : "The fort was built on what became River Lot No. 9, fifty-seven acres, according to the plat by the United States Government, of the historic two-mile square tract made in 1816. The body of the fort was about three hundred feet long east and west and 150 feet in width north and south, and situated on that part of the Park ground nearest to what is now Croghan Street, and lengthwise covered more ground than now lies between Arch and High streets, which is only 264 feet. It will be remembered that when the fort was built, and when the battle occurred, there were no streets there. The fort projected into what is now High Street, about two rods, its northwestern angle, where the assault was made, reaching a point near the ravine which passed in a northeasterly direction through what is known as the Doctor Wilson property, lately purchased for a high school building, and thence along what is now Croghan Street, and being the ravine between the rising ground of the fort and that immediately north of Croghan Street. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 633 "In 1881, when the west retaining wall of the Park ground was built indications of the locality of the water well of the fort were found, which would support the above statement as to its western extremity. "As to the name. Fort Stephenson, it appears from the military records that Colonel Stevenson at one time commanded the post, for, on May 14, 1813, the following order was issued : " 'Headquarters, Lower Sandusky, May 14, 1813. " 'The troops which 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. " 'R. Graham, Adjutant.' "And in the report of the adjutant to Governor Meigs, furnished under the preceding order, we find the name Fort Stephenson first appearing officially: " 'Fort Stephenson, May 22, 1813. " “'May it Please Your Excellency: "'Sir: Agreeably to your orders I have forwarded all the articles specified therein. Considerable manual labor has been done on the garrison since you left this place and improvements are daily making. One person has been buried since you left this place. He came from Fort Meigs with a part of the baggage of Major Tod. " `R. E. Post, Adjutant.' " The following recollections of the fort and reference to the cannon, are taken from proceedings of the "Ninety-third Anniversary of the Battle of Fort Stephenson," published in Vol. XVII, Ohio Archeological and Historical Society Publications, and contributed by J. P. Moore : "James Kirk and a man named Figley, both of whom worked on the old fort before the battle of August 2, 1813, have visited me here in Fremont and while visiting the fort and going over the ground in its vicinity have graphically described to me the location and construction of the fort and many incidents connected with its building and its defense against the British and Indians. "The old soldier, Figley, of Columbiana County, came here early in February, 1813, and worked on the fort until mustered out at Cleveland on June 1st of that year. He related to me how the pickets were drawn by oxen from the vicinity of Stony 634 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Prairie to the fort and points sharpened and the posts set in the ground close up one against the other. Many' of the oxen engaged in drawing them died of starvation or were devoured by the wolves howling around the fort. "The company to which James Kirk belonged came to the fort June 1, 1813, and worked here until the arrival of the British and Indians the day before the battle. James Kirk himself had been detailed to carry dispatches to Fort Seneca the clay before the battle so that he was not present but came down early on the morning of August 3d and helped bury the British dead. He distinctly heard the firing of the British cannon and howitzers and noticed that some discharges were louder than others. "Kirk was 25 years-old at that time and after his discharge opened a blacksmith shop in Lower Sandusky in 1818 and in 1828 went to Port Clinton. He said that the well in the fort was not a good one, so that the garrison got their water from a spring at the foot of Garrison Street, bringing it through a small gate on the east side of the fort, for which gate Kirk made the hinges. "I sent my son Theodore to visit James Kirk in 188— and get a description of the fort. Kirk said, 'Mark off a square plat of ground containing half an acre with a block-house on the northeast corner and one in the northwest corner; this was the original fort.' In June, 1813, when we came here the fort was found to be too small. He said, 'Mark off another square on the west side of the old square' and this you will see will place the northwest block-house in the center of the north line of the enlarged fort. This was the block-house from which "Old Betsy" cleared the ditch when it was filled with Colonel Shortt's men. There was a sealed log house in the new part filled with biscuit for Perry's fleet. This hou'se was knocked down level with the pickets by the British cannon balls. The northeast block-house was in the center of Croghan and Arch streets. The center block-house was about opposite the monument. The northwest angle of the fort extended out about fifteen feet into High Street. There were many extra guns in the fort, as a company of Pennsylvania soldiers had deposited their guns there a few days before the British brought their cannon up this ravine. They (the British) would load their cannon and then run them up out of the ravine and after discharging them, back them down again to reload out of range of the guns of the fort. The next ravine south of this ran up Croghan Street, turning to the southwest at High Street, thence northwest through the northwest corner of the Presbyte- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 635 rian Church lot. This ravine formed the north boundary of the plateau or ridge on which Fort Stephenson was located and on which ridge ran the Harrison trail to the southwest up through Spiegel Grove and on to Fort Seneca. The next ravine south of this extended between Birchard Avenue and Garrison Street, one branch ran towards the Methodist Church through the Dorr and McCullock property. It was from this last named ravine that the British Grenadiers made a feint against Captain Hunter's company just before Colonel Shortt made his assault on the northwest corner of the fort.' "Lieutenant Colonel Shortt and Lieut. J. G. Gordon, of the Forty-first Regiment, were buried near the south entrance of the high school building." The first mention of the gun (Betsy) is upon the occasion of the first Fourth of July celebration ever held at the stockade, related by McAfee, which occurred in 1813. On the 3d, a mounted regiment under Col. Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky, "the man who it was said killed Tecumseh" and a future vice president, marched from Fort Meigs to Lower Sandusky to recruit their horses here. After the war in which the gun did such valiant service it was removed to the Pittsburg arsenal. Later Congress ordered its return to Lower Sandusky. The ingenious Thomas L. Hawkins, commissary officer at Fort Stephenson during the campaign, identified the gun in Pittsburg, recognizing it by the scar on its breach which he believed was made by a cannon ball while in action, during the old French and Indian war. Owing to the duplication of the name Sandusky the cannon was sent to Sandusky City, which for many years after the battle was called Ogontz's Place, and of course had no claim to the gun. The authorities there tried to keep it, and for better concealment buried it under a barn. Mayor B. J. Bartlett, of Lower Sandusky, traced the gun and sent men and a wagon to take it home. This home-coming of Old Betsy was just prior to the 2d of August celebration of 1852, when the Tiffin Fire Department marched down to join in the festivities. William H. Gibson, clad in the red shirt and white trousers of the fire brigade uniform, delivered the stirring address of the day, in the woods back of the Rawson House on State Street. It is not pertinent here to follow in detail the subsequent career of Colonel Croghan. He again took the field in the Mexican war and was present at the assault of Monterey. He was 636 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY then stationed at New Orleans where he died of cholera, January 8, 1849, and where it was supposed for many years that his remains were somewhere buried. It remained to Col. Webb. C. Hayes of Fremont to obtain the facts. Through his efforts the Quartermaster General at Washington took up the matter, but there was failure in that direction of results. The Colonel still persevered, and in February, 1906, received a letter from Mrs. Elizabeth Croghan Kennedy, granddaughter of Col. George Croghan, which resulted in the discovery that Colonel Croghan's remains were buried in the family burial plot of the Croghan estate, Locust Grove on the Ohio River not far from Louisville, Kentucky. An overturned headstone at the grave bore the inscription—"Col. G. C." In the disinterment, within what was left of a mahogany casket was found a leaden casket well intact. Arrangements having been made for the removal of the remains, they were taken to Fremont where they lay in state in a room in the city hall decorated with flowers and mrytle and evergreen by the Daughters of the American Revolution, brought from the Kentucky estate. With due and elaborate ceremonies, the final burial took place in Oakwood Cemetery, Fremont, June 13, 1906. Five veterans of the Mexican war preceded the casket in the procession, which marched down the old Harrison Trail through Spiegel Grove. CHAPTER XLVI PERRY'S VICTORY ON LAKE ERIE OHIO PATRIOTISM AROUSED-KENTUCKY RESPONDS WITH MORE TROOPS-PERRY BUILDS FLEET-MEETING OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH SQUADRONS-VICTORY GIVES AMERICANS LAKE CONTROL-SCENES AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT. The second invasion of Ohio territory by the British and Indians, as at the first siege of Fort Meigs, "brought the patriotism of the state into vigorous action." As soon as Governor Meigs received positive information that the enemy had again entered his precincts he issued orders for the militia to rise en masse and repel the invaders. The division which had been under the command of General McArthur obeyed the call literally. Every man prepared himself to march against the British and Indians and the greatest military activity and ardor prevailed throughout the whole state. It was estimated that at least ten thousand men were under arms and marching to the Maumee and Sandusky frontiers. The enemy, however, did not wait for their arrival. The foremost corps of mounted Ohio volunteers were not able to reach headquarters until General Proctor had rendered their services practically unnecessary by his precipitous flight down the river and to Canada from Lower Sandusky. It then became necessary as had been done before to disband them again, without their having an opportunity to fight; which again produced much discontent and chagrin among them. Many of them were even highly exasperated against the General for not retaining and employing them against the enemy. They had volunteered not only with the expectation of being opposed to the invaders of their State, but also of being employed in the main expedition against Upper Canada which it was now evident would soon be carried into execution. When a considerable number of them arrived at Upper Sandusky, and the retreat of the enemy was known, Governor Meigs addressed a letter to General Harrison respecting the course to be pursued with them. The General immediately repaired to that place for the purpose of explaining his situation and views to the Governor, and reconciling the volunteers to the measures he would be - 637 - 638 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY obliged to adopt. After a personal interview with the Governor, he committed his explanations to writing on the 6th of August, which he addressed to that officer, as follows: "Your excellency's letter of the 4th inst. was handed to me yesterday morning by Colonel Brush. The exertions which you have made and the promptitude with which your orders have been obeyed, to assemble the militia to repel the late invasion, is truly astonishing and reflects the highest honor on the State. Believing that in a personal interview I could best explain to you the intentions of the government and my own views, I determined to come to this place to see you. I now have the honor to repeat to you in this way the result of my determination on the employment of the militia, and most of the facts on which my determination is founded. It has been the intention of the gov-ernment to form the army destined for operations on Lake Erie, exclusively of regular troops, if they could be raised. The number was limited to 7,000. The deficiency of regulars was to be made up from the militia. From all the information I at present possess, I am convinced there will be a great deficiency in the contemplated number of troops, even after the militia now in service and whose time of service will not expire immediately, have been added to the regulars. I have, therefore, called on the Governor of Kentucky for two thousand effective men. With those there will still be a deficiency of about 1,200. Your excellency has stated to me that the men who have turned out on this occasion have done it with the expectation of being effectually employed, and that should they be sent home, there is no prospect of getting them to turn out hereafter should it be necessary. With my utmost exertions, the embarkation cannot be effected in less than fifteen or eighteen days, should I even determine to substitute them for the regular troops which are expected. To keep so large a force in the field, even for a short period, would consume the means which are provided for the support of the campaign, and which are only provided for the number above stated. Under these circumstances, I would recommend a middle course to your excellency, viz: to dismiss all the militia but two regiments of ten companies, each of 100 men, and the usual proportion of field, platoon, and non-commissioned officers, etc.; that the corps be encamped at or near this place until it is ascertained whether their services will be wanted. A short time will determine the question. Permit me to request your excellency to give TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 639 your countenance and support to the exertions which General M'Arthur will make to fill the 26th regiment of twelve months' troops. It appears that the venerable Governor of Kentucky (Shelby) is about to take command of the troops of that State. Could your excellency think proper to follow his example, I need not tell you how highly grateful it would be, dear sir, to your friend. "W. H. Harrison." Governor Meigs soon afterwards proceeded to disband the volunteers from his State, very much to their displeasure and mortification. They believed that their services were slighted and that General Harrison intended to stigmatize them as unfit to be led against the enemy. His explanations were deemed unsatisfactory; and persons inimical to him were ready to encourage the popular discontent, by misrepresenting his motives in this case, and his conduct in relation to the affair at Lower Sandusky. A considerable number passed resolutions in which they depreciated his military talents and declared that they would never repair to his standard again. The publication of these resolves produced an explanatory letter from Major Croghan, in which he contradicted the misrepresentations which had been made, and declared his high respect for the General and confidence in his military talents. A meeting of the General and field officers of the regular troops at Fort Seneca was also held, and a public address prepared by them, in which they declared their confidence in the General, and their entire approbation of his conduct; and that his late plans and movements had been taken with the advice of all the general and field officers under his command. The public confidence in the General, so necessary to the commander of militia troops, was thus preserved at a critical moment against the attacks of those who were discontented and inimical to his fame. The retained regiments of the Ohio volunteers were encamped at Upper Sandusky, but Governor Meigs did not think proper under all the circumstances of the case to continue to command them in. person. General Harrison returned again to Fort Seneca to superintend the arrangements for the expedition against Upper Canada. On the 9th of August at Lower Sandusky, a British boat was discovered coming up the river with a flag. When it landed below the fort Captain Hunter was sent to meet the commander, who proved to be Lieutenant Le Breton, accompanied by Doctor Banner, with a letter from General Proctor to the commandant at 640 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Lower Sandusky, their object being to ascertain the situation of the British wounded and afford them surgical aid. Captain Hunter invited them to the fort. Le Breton seemed to hesitate as if he expected first to be blindfolded as usual in such cases; but Captain Hunter told him to come on, that there was nothing in the fort which there was any occasion to conceal; and when he introduced him to Major Croghan as the commandant of the fort, he appeared to be astonished at the youthful appearance of the hero who had defeated the combined forces of his master. As the letter of General Proctor also contained a proposition for the paroling of those prisoners who might be in a condition to be removed, the flag was sent by Major Croghan to headquarters at Seneca. General Harrison replied to the letter of Proctor, that "Major Croghan conformably to those principles which are held sacred in the American army, had caused all possible care to be taken of the wounded prisoners that his situation would admit and that every aid which surgical skill could give was afforded." Also that he had already referred the disposal of the prisoners to his government and must wait for their determination. Doctor Banner in the meantime had examined the situation of the wounded, and was highly gratified with the humane treatment they had received. He informed Major Croghan that the Indians were highly incensed at the failure of the late expedition, and were kept together with the utmost difficulty. Attention will now be given to the preparations for the expedition against Malden. The progress of the naval preparations had been very slow, the building of the fleet was not completed till a much later period than that originally fixed by the War Department; and after its completion still further delay was caused by, the want of seamen. Yet, after all this delay. on the part of the fleet, the regular forces enlisted for the expedition into Canada, were very far short of the calculations made at the war office. The whole regular force of the Northwestern Army in July, did not much exceed two thousand men; and it was not until the 20th of that month, that General Harrison was authorized by the government to make his call on the adjoining states, for the militia necessary to complete the intended army. On that day at Lower Sandusky, he received a letter from the secretary of war informing him that Commodore Perry was instructed to communicate with him respecting naval movements and cooperation, and that he was authorized to take of the militia what in TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 641 his judgment would be necessary. He then immediately addressed a letter to Governor Shelby of Kentucky asking him for a maximum of 2,000 men and inviting the Governor to take command of them in person. The response of the Kentucky patriots was prompt and under command of Governor Shelby, their movements later will be detailed. The mounted regiment of Colonel Johnson was also ordered to the Ohio service from the Illinois section. Turning to the naval affairs on Lake Erie, the situation at an early period in the year 1813 claimed the attention of both the Americans and British. The British, however, had command of the lake, and had had for the fifty years past, as told in the article written by Mr. M. M. Quaife.* They had a considerable fleet on Erie, while the Americans had not a single armed vessel above the falls of Niagara. Great industry and exertion were hence necessary on the part of the Americans to enable them to meet the enemy on equal terms in the present campaign. With this view, workmen were employed and the keels of two brigs and several schooners were laid early in March at Erie, to which place Commodore Perry was sent to superintend their construction and equipment. There was abundance of timber convenient, but every other article had to be transported from other places, mostly from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia; and such were the difficulties which had to be encountered, that the progress in fitting out the fleet did not keep pace with the expectations formed by the government. The young Commander in fact was obliged to hew his fleet out of the wilderness and the matter of assembling his equipment was a prodigious task. The cannon balls used in the action were made in a crude furnace by a Scotch-man named Grant, near Steubenville, Ohio, on the east side of the Ohio and were conveyed to the lake on pack mules. The cordage and equipment were contracted for under adverse circumstances. The proprietor of the rope-walk was a woman who took charge of the factory at the death of her husband. When Perry made the trip to give his order, he was so young and boyish looking that he was obliged to identify himself before the madam would talk business. The material, fortunately, was completed on time. One regiment of militia and a few regulars were employed for the protection of the workmen and the vessels they were *Author of "Wisconsin: Its History and Its People." 642 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY building. No attempt, however, was made to molest them, till the 20th of July, when the undertaking was nearly completed The enemy had this season built a twenty-gun brig at Malden and with this addition to their force, they probably deemed their naval superiority so decided as to be careless about the progress of the American labors, or perhaps it was their policy to let the latter spend their time and labor in the completion of their vessels, before they paid them a destroying visit. The manner in which they conducted the campaign, however, appears reprehensible. Had General Proctor proceeded with his regulars, militia, and Indians, supported by a train of heavy artillery against the preparations at Erie, instead of wasting his time and strength in vain attempts on Fort Meigs, he might have done much greater injury, and perhaps have defeated the Americans in the campaign completely, by preventing the erection of a navy comp, tent to command the lake. If he had only destroyed the boats prepared at Cleveland, he would have caused more serious difficulties than any Harrison experienced from his formidable invasions. But it has been stated that his Indians were not disposed to leave terra firma, and hazard themselves in a cruise so far down the lake. However, about the 20th of July, while the land forces were sent on a demonstration against Fort Meigs, the larger vessels of their fleet proceeded down the lake to reconnoiter at Erie; in sight of which they remained two or three days, apparently threatening, and perhaps really intending to attack the place; but without having made an attempt, they at last stretched over the lake towards Long Point. Their menace excited a considerable hustle and alarm at Erie, lest the vessels in their present advanced state should be destroyed, and the flattering prospects of the campaign be thus blasted. Major-General Meade who commanded the militia of the adjacent country, immediately issued an order to the contiguous brigade of his division, to repair en masse to Erie for the protection of the fleet. The order was promptly obeyed, and in a few days upwards of fifteen hundred men were assembled at the place appointed. Captain Perry in the meantime, in order to amuse the British, had sent out two of his gunboats which gave them a few shot; but they kept at so great a distance that no damage was done. Commodore Perry now redoubled his exertions to finish his equipments, which he at last completed about the 2nd of August, and on the two following days succeeded in getting his heaviest TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 643 vessels over the bar at the mouth of the harbor. The water being but six or seven feet deep, it was necessary to buoy them up with his light vessels and scows; all of which was accomplished in the face of the enemy, who had returned in his fleet on the evening of the 3rd, and remained in sight all the next day, but without offering any molestation to the progress of this work. As soon as our fleet was completely over the bar, the enemy again left us and sailed towards Long Point. A sufficient number of sailors not having yet arrived to man our vessels, the Commodore now proposed to receive volunteers for forty-eight hours from the Pennsylvania militia, and a sufficient number accepted his invitation to enable him to sail next morning in pursuit of the enemy. He crossed the lake to Long Point, and then proceeded up the British shore some distance without discovering their fleet, which had in fact returned to Malden for their new brig and other reinforcements, on discovering the force which Perry was able to bring against them. Our fleet then returned to Erie to discharge the militia volunteers that were on board, and supply their place with sailors. In the meantime General Meade had discharged all the militia who had come forward at his call to meet the menaced descent of the British. The fleet being equipped for action, and able to give the enemy chase, "their services were no longer required in the field of Mars, but were much needed in their harvest fields at home." Lieutenant Elliott brought ninety sailors from the fleet under Commodore Chauncey on Lake Ontario to man the fleet on Erie. Boats were sent down the lake to meet them which brought them up in safety and enabled our Commodore to spread his canvas again, and proceed up the lake. He arrived off Sandusky Bay on the 5th, and Captain Richardson, who had been sent by Gen-eral Harrison to Erie, and had now returned in the fleet, came out immediately to headquarters to announce its arrival and re-quest a company of soldiers to act as marines. General Harri-son accompanied by several officers went down to the fleet, taking with him a company commanded by Captain Stockton of the Twenty-eighth Regiment of twelve months' regulars under Colonel Owings from Kentucky, including all the seamen that could be found in the army; and also about twenty volunteers under Lieutenant Coburn from Payne's company of Johnson's regiment. The Kentuckians, some of whom had probably never seen a ship before, relying on their skill to shoot, were thus ready to meet the enemy on any grounds, however novel the intended 644 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY enterprise might be to them. In the consultation between the land and naval commanders, it was agreed that the Commodore should proceed immediately off Malden to brave the enemy's fleet, and if possible bring them to action before he should take our troops on board to transport them over the lake. It was apprehended, however, that the enemy would be prudent enough to decline the contest until our fleet was encumbered with our land forces. As soon as our Commodore had displayed his canvas before Malden, a considerable bustle took place on board the British fleet, but no attempt was made to come out and engage him, although Perry did not fail to challenge them to the combat, Finding that they did not intend to fight, he sent the Ariel as near as she could proceed with safety, to examine them more minutely. Their new brig which they called the Detroit, was launched; and the two fleets were apparently of equal force. The British, however, had the superiority; their vessels were larger than those of the Americans, were better manned, and carried a greater number of guns. The following were the vessels, and number of guns in each fleet: AMERICAN