Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-09-10

ded his flight.
know Of no place in tho west, where
moro thrilling events have taken place, than
at Lower Sandusky, where we now are
when l was hero last season, and had the
pleasure to converse a short time with our
esteemed friend s. Birchard Esq, nv Of
tort was, to impress upon his mind tho i'm.
portance OF forming historical society
here, to collect and perpetuate the incidents
ol this place, extending far back. into the
history of tho Wyandot tribe. This sub.
Ject is now most earnestly pressed for yonr
consideration. Lower Sandusky, was the
Theatre, during tho war of 1912, of ono Of
The greatest military achievements of tho
age, when the number and condition Of the
force under Major Croghan, arc considered.
Tho causes for declaring that war. by
Congress, on tko 18th of June of that wear.
are set forth, and commented upon by Pres
ldent Madison in his message to Congress
on tho lst Of June, and in the report of the
Committee on Foreign Relations on the Sd.
and OF tho committee on Indian Affairs on
Inc 18th OF the sano month. Briefly. thew
we're: that the British traders, officers and
agents, by their influence, excited the Iudi-
ans to hostilities: and that American sea.
mon were impressed, and compelled to dc
duty on board Of British ships.
Tho proclamation Of President Madison
announcing the event, and the act. were
transmitted by mail from WASHINGTON 10
Pittsburgh, to Warren and to Cleveland.
accompanied by n letter to John Walworth,
Postmaster at tho place last mentioned,
with n request to forward the documents TO
General Hull by Express, who was on his
march from Dayton to Detroit, with Colonel
James Millers Regiment Of United States
Infantry, the Ohio volunteer regiments Of
Colonies Macarthur, Cass and Findlay.
Charles Shaler then young lawyer, broth.
erin law Of Commodorc McDonourh, (sinco
distinguished at Pittsburgh and in Pennsyl.
vanla, by various public offices he has dis.
charged to public acccptance,) agreed to
convey the letter addressed to General Hull
The mail arrived at Cleveland on the 2sth
Mr. Shaler left about tho middle of the
day, and reached the camp of tho army. in
the night of the I'd Of July, soon after 70
o'clock, Tho rapidity of transmitting in.
telllgence since that time, has been greatly
accelerated. 1t would now be communica.
ted in fewer minutes than it thea took days.
l shall not recount the disasters of our arms
at Detroit nor recite the measures prosocu.
ted to regain tho surrendered posts, and to
protect the frontiers.
General Hull, as you all know. surrren.
dered to the British, on the 10th of August.
1912. The like distress was never endured
in this region Of country, and cannot an.
tlclpate any occurrence from hostile cne-
my, that will hereafter equal it. Tho re-
ports were, that the British and their Indi-
an allies, were coming down the Lake in
great force. Tho settlements werc sparse
no troops to protect-nothing TO stay the
victorious enemy-,he horrors Of the toma-
hawk and scalping knife-aroused every
mothers fears as she collected tho little ob-
jects of her love, and committed them to
others, or watched over them in their flight.
through woods and swamps, or fordinp
streams, or hastily lashing together poles
picked up in tho woods, to bear than over
waters too deep to forI. The few articles
of furniture, beds and bedding, brought
from New England, or other distant place
OF emigration, or procured with much trouble
and expense, aftor their arrival, were hasti.
ly secretcd in the brush heaps in the clear
ing commenced, or carried into tho forest
Those were fortunate who had teams to
transport their families away with their
wearing apparel and bedding. Tho fupi-
tives, in many instances, returned in the
spring and summer of 1873 e-possossed
their log houses,sn resumed their labors to
clearland and obtain their bread.
If forty-five years ago this day, Major
Croghan, unaided by Providence, had not
been adequate to his condition and com.
mand, and General Proctor had conquered
this post, can your minds Depict tho suffer.
lngs and terrific scenes that would have fol-
lowed?
The enemy having been disappointed in
not capturing our troops at Fort Meigs, with.
drew his forco on tho 9Th of May, 1918, but
resppeared again, the latter part of JULY to
the supposed number of five thousand, in
cluding Indians. He withdrew again on
the 2sth, and made for this place, to CAP
ture Fort Stephenson, then occupied by
Major George Croghan, of the regular army
having the command of one hundred and
sixty mon. The stockade was commenced
by Captain Norton and his Rifle COMPANY
of Volunteers from Delaware County,
Captain John Campbell and his COMPANY
Of Volunteers, from Portage County, under
the act of February 9th, 1912, arrived here
on the l4th of July, and from that day to
the 9th of August, they aided in the work
in progress. Of tho number that thus as
sisted, was Sergeant Ralph BuckIand, faith.
'r Of your distinguished Senator, who bears
MS name, and of your esteemed fcllow.citi.
zen Stephen Buckland. Sergeant Buck
and died soon after his return to Ravonna
Most of tho mon were taken sick on the
9sth of July, and as John Harmon, second
Corporal in said Company informs me, the
ickness was produced, ms it was then be-
led, by poisoned beef, that the Indians
brought to them dressed.
Major Croghan was of good blood, by !
which mean patriotic, cool, faithful, untir-
ng, Jealous, trustworthy blood. His father
vas VIM. Croghan, native of Ireland, who :
ntered the American Army in 1875, as a
'aptain Of Infantry of tho Virginia line, and @
@ was In tho battles Of Brandywine, Cor S
1antown and Monmouth. He was present O
tho seige of York, but having been cap
lred at Charleston, by the surrender of r