The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-07-08
Misr&lIaneOns Selettions.
THE SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS.

the gallant defenders of Fort Meigs
made the following statement of thu
events which transpired on that oc
casion. In view of the renewed in
terest in those matters proceeding
from the visit paid this locality by
few of the brave veterans who, like
Col. O'Fallon, were engaged in It's
defence, the statement will unques
tiolably prove highly interesting tc
all our readers.
1t was on the first day of Februa-
ry, 1913, that the Army of General
Harrison pitched their tents upon
ard adjacent to the ground where
Fort Meigs was erected and com
menced the stockade, which was af-
terwards surrounded by a ditch and
embankments embracing several
acres Of ground. The snow was
very deep upon the ground, and the
weather extremely cold; and al
though the troops were raw and
greatly unaccustomed to'such severe
exposure, their ardour never abated.
Under many deprivations they per-
formed their several duties with zeal
and alacrity, that zeal and alacrity
which spring from the soldiers deep
confidence in the tried skill and
courage Of his commender, and his
warm attachment to his person.
Early in April 1913, the garrison of
Fort Meigs numbered about 1,00C
effective men, two brigades of mill
tia having been discharged in con
sequence of the termination Of their
period of service. This fact being
early ascertained by the British gen
eral commanding at Maiden, an AK
pedition against Fort Meigs was i'm
mediately projected, His army OF
British and Indians was near 1000
strong, and he gave his Indian allies
the most confident assurances, that
he could carry the Fort by storm,
should his invitation to General Har-
rison TO surrender with the honors
of war, be refused. He had heavy
park of artillery, and this with the
imagined weakness of our defences,
he fancied would give him a ready
and easy conquest of the Fort. And
it was even stipulated between the
British general and the celebrated
Tecumshe, that, should the garrison
be taken, and General Harrison re-
main alive, the American command
er was to be delivered to the Indian,
who designed to wreak upon him
his savage vengence for the death
of his many braves and warriors
who fell at the battle of Tippecanoe.
Vain calculation! Vain this premed-
lated purpose of base and barbarous
malice! The God of battles was with
the brave American general, and he
was reserved by a wise and far-see-
ing Providence, to be in after tines,
the proud hope, the high blessing,
the bright prospect, the noble deliv-
erer of his country.
Fort Meigs was invested and can
Onaded with bomb shells and red hot
balls for seven days, during which
time General Harrison was ever at
The point of danger, planning and
directing the defence, and by his
manner, his voice, his sagacious con-
luct, and his undaunted courage, in
spring his officers and men with an
confidence Of ultimate vic
.Ory. General Proctor was at length
lriven to confess that he was con-
ending with a commander whose
and military talents were
equal to any emergency; and des-
lair OF redeeming the pledge he had
yiven to his army, to make an easy
Of the garrison, and being
by intercepted communi-
,ation, that General Harrison was
n daily expectation of reinforce
nents, he determined to effect that
" stratagem which he now de-
SPARED of accomplishing by open
warfare. He calculated by timely
md well concerted deception to de-
.oy into ambuscade, large detach-
nent of our garrison-then scarcely
sufficient to man the defences.
should he succeed in this, the ready
acrifce of the fort would inevitably
ollow. Suddenly brisk and sharp
iring was heard in the thick woods
lear the fort, through which passed
he road % the interior. The alarm
trongly represented, as it was de
igned to do, an Indian engagement.
shortly afterwards, loud wailings
md groans were heard, as world
proceed from wounded
md dying men. The whole garri- |
on at once concluded. that an at
ack was made on our brothers in
rms on their way to our relief, and
Who had the strongest claims on our
Not so, however, with
General Harrison. He alone was
Many of his officers
waited upon him, and almost de
handed permission to fly to the res
ue. For time the greatest excite
nent prevailed in the garrison at the
dea of the sacrifice of their gallant
without an attempt to
ave them. General Harrison's sa-
,acity caught the design of the enc
ny in a moment, and it required the |
xercise Of all his powerful influence |
nd authority to subdue the impe-
uosity of his officers and men, and |
o convince them of this cunning de- |
ice of the enemy, planned for their
Instruction.
About two o'clock on the morning
If the fifth of May, 1878, two officers
anne expressly from General Green
lay, who had passed the Indian
ines under cover Of night, at the
most imminent hazard of their lives.
They brought information that Gen
raj Clay with his brigade Of Ken
ucky militia, was escamped on the.
liver, few miles above the Fort,
% which he would proceed early
hat morning This was most cheer