The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-27

When the War of 1912 began, san
guine people believed that the Cana
dian provinces would be glad to be
liberated from British rule, and with
the approach of a victorious army of
invasion would seize the opportunity of
freeing themselves. But it was the
other way. Instead of submitting to
invasion, Canada became the invader.
The Indian tribes, defeated at Tippe-
canoe, saw their opportunity for re-
venge, and under the lead of Tecump-
sch, gathered to the British standard.
The army under Gen. Hull, which was
to invade Upper Canada, was driven
back almost at the outset, and instead
of the tidings of victory which the ma
ton had expected, there arrived the
dreadful news that Hull and his whole
army had surrendered at Detroit. At
temptS to regain the lost ground re-
suited IN series of disasters filed
with the horrors of Indian massacre.
1t was then that George Croghan, II
years old at the time, got his chance
lie had hurried home two years before
from Williams and Mary College in
Virginia, where he was taking d post
graduate course in law, to take part in
the defense of his Western home
against the Indians. Croghan was the
son of Maj. William Croghan of the
Revolutionary Army, and his mother
was sister of Gen. George Rogers
Clarke, one of the famous founders of
civilization in the Northwest.
Young Croghan had been appointed
volunteer aide to Col John F. Boyd
in the battle of Tippecanoe on Nov. I.
1911, and in 1872, when war with Eng
land began he was appointed captain
of infantry.
1t was merely as a precaution against
remote possibilities that, III the sum-
mer of 1872, Fort Stephenson had been
built on the lower Sandusky river. A
frontier fort in those days was SIM
pie affair, consisting mainly of a stock
ade and blockhouse. A blockhouse
was constructed on the northwest cor
ner and another in the middle or the
north side of the fort. The space en-
closed by the Stockade was about one
hundred yards in one direction and
about fifty in the other. And this
shdnty of a fort was soon to become a
rock of defense which rolled back
wave of invasion that was filing the
Western country with alarm.
In the summer of 1913 the northwest
was lost to the Americans, and a Brit
ish force under Maj. Gen Proctor was
advancing upon Ohio, coasting the lake
shore IN boats, while the Indian allies
under Tecumpseh made their way by
land. Gen. Harrison, the victor of
Tppecanoe, was in command of the
American army. All his supplies were
al Upper Sanusky, and he had a force
OF about 800 regulars and militia with
winch to maintain his position against
7o0 british regulars and militia accom-
panied by Tecumpseh and his Indians,
NAMING the British force several thou
sand strong. 1t was reported that Te-
cumpseh with 1000 Indians was moving
straight upon Harrison's base of sup
mes bv the direct road from the West.
10 check this flank movement
upon his communications, Harrison es-
taollshed himself at Seneca ten miles
IN the rear of Fort Stephenson.
Against the advance of the British
up the Sandusky river the only OBJ
stacle was Fort Stephenson.
The stockade dignified by that title
was garrisoned by 100 soldiers. Young
Croghan was the officer in command.
He had become major of the Seven
teenth Regiment, United States Infan-
Try He had strengthened the fort as
Hiuch as possible by building two ad-
ultlonal block houses and by construct
ing ditch about eight feet deep and
WIDE One iron six-pounder cannon
was all that he had in the way of
artillery. Gen. Harrison did not con-
siuer the place tenable against regular
siege and in orders left with Mai.
CIoghan, he said: Should the Brit
lsh troops approach you in force with
cannon, and you discover them in time
10 erect a retreat, you will do so i'm
Iledlately destroying all the public
stores. You must be aware to attempt
~ retreat in the face of an Indian
iorce would be vain. Against such an