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The war of 1812 can be called a continuation
of the Revolution, with all justice. Although rumors had reached Ohio,
that active preparations were being made for general action, no official
tidings had been sent to Hull, Commander-in-chief of the Western forces.
The Secretary of War, instead of sending a special messenger directly
to Hull, communicated with the post adjacent, depending upon a continuation
of the news from that point. At the same time, advices were sent the British
post at Maiden and Detroit. Hull sent out a packet with official papers,
stores, etc., the day previous to that on which the official intelligence
arrived that an open rupture existed between the two powers, and this
was of course captured.
The Western forces marched to Detroit and crossed over to Sandwich, preparatory
to attacking Maiden, a post most favorable for the transportation of stores,
troops, etc. which was therefore considered valuable.
Peter Minard first gave the news to the settlers of
the Maumee. He had heard from a Delaware chief, who assured him a general
massacre was to take place in the valley. Maj. Spafford
paid no heed to this "idle fear," until a few days thereafter
a messenger came to his quarters, reporting a band of fifty Pottawatomies
on the march to join the hostile tribes near Maiden. They had plundered
and burned Monclova, and had nearly reached the rapids.
The Major, with his family and settlers, immediately launched a barge
on the river and were able to reach old Fort Miami just as the savages
reached Maumee City. They could plainly witness the flames that devoured
their old homes. They kept on their way in their miserable craft, until
they reached Milan, where they learned that the entire country was in
danger.
Although the Indians were defeated in the battle of Tippecanoe in the
fall of 1811, they plotted vigorously with the English for the invasion
of Ohio.
Gen. William Hull marched from the southwestern part
of the State directly north, crossing the counties of Champaign, Logan,
Hardin, Hancock and Wood, establishing military posts along the route
and cutting a way through the wilderness of the unsettled portions. He
crossed the Maumee on the 1st of July, and marched to Detroit.
Hull was evidently actuated in his succeeding disgraceful failures by
two fears—lack of confidence in the ability of his troops, and the
belief that they might desert him in action. He proclaimed freedom, and
a necessity of submitting to the Canadians under existing circumstances.
He held out inducements to the British regulars to desert their cause
and essayed to pacify the savages, but he accomplished nothing beyond
jeopardizing the American cause
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and disgracing his army. His men became restless. Col. Miller
and Col. Cass were delighted when detailed on scouting expeditions, and
did not hesitate to attack advancing squads of the enemy. At last, an attack
was made on the Niagara frontier, and Hull speedily abandoned his project
and collected his forces at Detroit. Meantime, Col. Proctor had reached
Maiden, and quickly perceiving the advantage of a post at that point,
whereby he could cut off supplies and starve Hull into subjection, he
massed his forces about this section, captured Van Horn and his two hundred
men, and withstood the attack of Miller, although he gained nothing by
so doing. Again Hull displayed his weakness by recalling his forces from
further molestations.
Gen. Brock, however, reached Maiden on the 13th of August, 1812, and
began war preparations.
Gen. Dearborn placed a force on the Niagara frontier, but an armistice
was made with the British. Hull dispatched a third party under McArthur,
to open communications to the Raisin River.
Gen. Brock appeared at Sandwich and began to erect batteries, which Hull
would not allow to be molested. The result was, that on the 26th of August
Detroit was surrendered to the enemy, and not a blow had been struck in
its defense.
By this dastardly act, 1,400 brave men who had not been permitted to
make a single effort to sustain the American cause, were surrendered to
300 English regulars, 400 Canadians and their Indian allies. Gen. Hull
was, in consequence of this series of "mistakes," accused of
treason and cowardice, and convicted of the latter. By the middle of August,
the British had gained the control over most of the Northwestern Territory.
The appointment of William Henry Harrison to the position
of commander in chief of the Western forces, was most opportune. He speedily
raised a vigorous army, and advanced by three routes to the foot of the
rapids.
Gen. Harrison commanded the right wing, and marched by the way of Upper
Sandusky, where he located his depot of supplies. Gen. Tupper commanded
the center, Fort McArthur, in Hardin County, being his base, while Gen.
Winchester marched from Fort Defiance down the Maumee to the foot of the
rapids.
A large force of British and Indians moved up the left bank of the Maumee
toward Fort Wayne, and Gen. Harrison, to intercept them, marched to the
confluence of the Auglaize with the Maumee.
Harrison was aware that the enemy would be also hemmed in by Winchester.
The weather was rainy, and the prospects were that a most unfortunate
season was to follow the expected engagements. Harrison heard that Winchester
had reached Fort Defiance, and that the Indians and British were retreating
down the Maumee. He followed, and marched to Winchester's camp, where
he arrived in season to quell a mutiny under command of Col. Alien, of
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In January, 1813, Winchester had reached the rapids, where
he received tidings that Frenchtown was menaced and exposed. Without orders,
he sent a party to the rescue, which defeated the enemy. The weather was
intensely cold, and the company lay within eighteen miles of Maiden, where
the enemy was collected in full force, consequently re-enforcements must
be dispatched immediately or the town again left to its fate. Winchester
then marched with a force of 259 men, and upon arriving at nightfall,
insisted upon remaining on open ground, although warned repeatedly that
this would be a most dangerous experiment.
In the morning, he was surprised by the enemy, massed directly before
him, with a battery within three hundred yards of his camp, and a shower
of bombs, balls and grape-shot falling among his exposed troops, and the
yells of Indians reminding him of his fatal error. Lewis, who led the
party out in the beginning and had apprehended the danger, bravely defended
himself behind garden pickets, Winchester was defeated on the 22d of January,
1813, and the Indians were permitted to massacre the prisoners and the
settlers.
Harrison fell back to the foot of the rapids. On the 1st of February,
he began the construction of Fort Meigs.
On the 27th of April, Proctor and Tecumseh attacked this fort, and laid
siege with the full expectation of success. The stipulation was that Gen.
Harrison was to be delivered to Tecumseh. While the balls and bombs were
making havoc with the fort, the Indians were climbing trees and pouring
a galling fire down upon the troops. Gen. Proctor invited Harrison to
surrender, which was politely declined, with the assurance that the British
General would have the opportunity to distinguish himself as a soldier
before such a proceeding was enacted.
Gen. Clay was descending the Maumee with 1,200 Kentuckians in flat boats.
Orders went from Harrison that 800 men should land on the left bank, take
and spike the British cannon, and then to enter the fort, from which soldiers
were to issue to assist the re-enforcements.
Capt. Hamilton was to pilot Gen. Clay to the fort, cutting their way
through. All succeeded, Col. Dudley taking the batteries and spiking the
cannon. But his men, too much elated by their success, against orders,
and against the repeated expostulations of Col. Dudley, insisted on pursuing
the Indians. Col. Dudley would not desert them. This act proved their
ruin. By a decoy, they were led into a defile which proved an ambush,
and the men found themselves surrounded by savages, without means of escape.
A most frightful massacre began, and every man would have fallen had
not Tecumseh sternly forbidden the cowardly carnage. One of his principal
chiefs ignored this order, and the next instant the great warrior buried
his hatchet in his head. The brave Col. Dudley was, however, tomahawked
and scalped.
There were no immediate signs that the fort would be surrendered, and
the siege was raised on the 9th of May. It was renewed on the 20th of
July, and abandoned a few days later. The enemy decided this stronghold
was invulnerable.
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On the 1st of August, the enemy proceeded to Fort Stevenson,
at Lower Sandusky, garrisoned by 150 men under Maj. Croghan. The fort had
the use of but one piece of cannon. The enemy with Tecumseh's Indians numbered
8,300 strong, with six pieces of cannon.
Gen. Proctor again tendered the offer to surrender, adding that a refusal
would only bring about a useless resistance, and a massacre by the Indians.
The reply was, that before the fort went over to the British, not an American
would be left to be massacred, as they should hold out to the last man.
Proctor opened fire. The first movement was an assault upon the northwest
angle of the fort, as if to make a breach and thus carry the works. The
commandant strengthened that point by bags of sand, and during the night
stealthily placing his one cannon in a concealed position, he filled it
with slugs.
The following day, the fire again swept the northwest corner, and, evening
approaching, a column of 350 men swept up within twenty yards of the walls.
They were met by the musketry, which had little effect, and the ditch
was soon filled with men. The next instant the hidden cannon, so placed
as to sweep the ditch, suddenly began action, and the surprised assailants
quickly recoiled, and the fort was saved, with the loss of only one man.
The next morning, the enemy had disappeared, evidently in haste, as guns,
clothing and stores were left behind. They had lost over one hundred and
fifty men by this useless attempt. Croghan had previously received orders
to evacuate the fort from Gen. Harrison, and his determination to hold
the position merited Harrison's reprimand and remand of commission. Such
was the severity of military law. However, the rank of Colonel was immediately
conferred upon him by the President, for his gallantry. The ladies of
Chillicothe presented him with an elegant testimonial in the shape of
a sword.
It was decided to make a naval warfare effectual in the recovery of the
Northwestern Territory, and accordingly vessel-building began under Commodore
Perry's supervision.
The British looked upon this proceeding with derision, fully intending
to use these boats for their own purpose. They publicly proclaimed their
intention.
By the 1st of August, 1813, Commodore Perry set sail a flotilla, the
Lawrence and the Niagara, of twenty guns each, with smaller vessels following.
Some difficulty was encountered in launching the larger vessels, on account
of the shallowness of the water.
Perry's first destination was Put-in-Bay, thirty miles from Maiden, where
the British fleet lay under the guns of the fort. On the 10th of September,
the British fleet—exceeding the American by ten guns—under
Commodore Barclay, appeared off Put-in-Bay, distant about ten miles. Perry
immediately set sail. The wind shifting, the Americans had the advantage.
Perry hoisted the Union Jack. A general preparation was made for the
conflict. An ominous silence settled over all as the fleets approached.
A bugle sounded on the enemy's ship Detroit, and a furious fire was opened
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the Lawrence. The frightful and desperate battle that ensued
is so familiar that it is not necessary for us to repeat its details. It
forever remains in history as a prominent, desperate straggle that turned
the tide most decisively in favor of the Americans. Hand to hand, for three
hours, this furious struggle surged, resulting in a pronounced victory for
the Americans.
Commodore Perry immediately requested parole for his severely wounded
antagonist, Commodore Barclay. Capt. Elliott was at this engagement highly
commended by Perry for his bravery.
Gen. Harrison now made preparations to follow Proctor, and reached Maiden
on the 27th of September.
Proctor had retreated to Sandwich, and thence Harrison followed him,
overtaking the enemy on the 9th of October, on the bank of the Thames.
An engagement ensued, which was not particularly marked in its events,
but which practically terminated the war in the Northwest.
Tecumseh fell during this battle, and his death disheartened the savages
to such an extent that they were willing to make terms of peace. Accordingly
a treaty was concluded on the 22d of July, 1814, with the Wyandots, Delawares,
Shawnees, Senecas and Miamis, the tribes engaged in hostilities.
Again Ohio was able to turn her attention to the improvements within
her own boundaries. Weary and disabled though she was, her ambition and
energy were unimpaired. The struggle had been severe, but a grand reward
had been won, and peace and independence belonged to these sturdy, earnest,
pioneers.
In 1815, a town was founded near Fort Meigs, and, in 1816, Gen. John
E. Hunt and Judge Robert A. Forsythe located at Maumee.
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