Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-09-24
GBoitt MisteIIangg,
! THE PENINSULA.

IThe following article, which we take
from the Ashtabnia Sentinel, will be read
with interest by the settlers OF this coun-
ty.L Many of them were parlicipators in
the action here described, and all had
acauaintances an friends who served
in The militia at that time. In our
youthful days. we have several times
heard. from the lips OF Capt. Cotton (who
was formerly a resident of This county, J
his description of this affair. which
agreed with that given below by Mr.
Atkins
81 returned, and saw uqder the sun, that
the race is not to the swift. neither
the battle 10 the strong" Eccl X,
II
The incidents | am about to relate,
verify, 10 most striking manner, the
truth of the above portion of Scripture.
In the Autumn Of 1919. when the
United States were at war with Great
Rritisn, Gen. Simon Perkins, of Warren,
Trumbull county, Ohio. was stationed,
with not less than fvs hundred drafted
militia, under his command, al Camp
Avery" some two miles up the Huron
river from its mouth; Col. John Stark
Edwards, (member elect to Congress- }
were there also. He was from the same
town and county with Gen. Perkins, and
next under him in command.
Sometime in the month of September,
q party of from fifty to one hundred men
was detailed flom camp, to proceel in
boats from the mouth of Huron, to fetch
away several hundred bushels Of wheat
which had been raised on what was
then known as Edwards Island, !" (Col.
J. S. Edwards having purchased it of
the U. S. Government some two years
before, ignored Putin-Bay and South,
Pass, and fixed his own name upon il.
The wheat had been harvested, thrashed
out, and removed to the east part Of the
Peninsula, north of Sandusky Bay, and
cribbed up there, until it could be safely
taken away, beyond the grasp cf British
or Indian marauders. In obedience to
orders, the detachment with boats. turn
ed into Sandusky Bay, and landed tie
party on the south side of the Peninsula
at clearing some three-fourihs ofa mile
west OF the shore of lake Erie. One oil
or two log houses had been built in this
clearing; and gardens and corn6elds
had been planiei. which were filed with
a luxuriant growth of corn anil garden
vegetables, at the time the detachment
landed.
The owners had gathered up what
they could of their live stock, household
furniture. farming tools. ETC.. and had
fed back into the more settled parts of
the courtry. on hearing Of Gen. Hull's
surrender of the American army at De-
troit; an event which filled the minds of
the inhabitants Of the lake shore region,
with great uneasiness and dread.
Capt. John 7. Cotton. who command.
e | the detachment-left sufficient mum
Der Of his men TO take charge OF the
boats. End ordered them TO pull off to the
north side of "Bulbs Island, and shell
ter their boats from observation. in the
tall rice stalks and bull rusl.es which
grew there in great abundance, until i've
should call them 20 further duties, ley a /
concerted sigual-to be made known
10 them from the b.a:h Of the PEN
insula. Having thus stationed hi bDats
in the care OF few Of his men, the Cap !
tain marched the remainder of his de |
sachmeni north-easterly, across the pen
insula, TO ascertain the condition of the
wheat lie was ordered 10 remove. His
Ere.t-s--l . -s'.-g 49, .sls.ls'-s ~