Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-08-12
COLLEGE BOYS PLUCK.
Wonderful Feat of a Seventeen-Year
Lad in 1912

When the war of 1912 began san
guine people believed that the Cana
dian provinces would be glad TO be lib
Grated from British rule, and with the
approach of victorious army of in
Vasion would seize the oDportunity 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 Tecumn-
sch. gathered to the British standard.
The army under General HUI. which
was to invade upper Canada, was
driven back almost ut the outset ana
instead of the tidings of victory which
the nation had expected, there arrived
the dreadful news that Hull and his
whole army had surrendered at Detroit.
Attempts to regain the lost ground re-
suited in a series of disasters filed with
the horrors of Indian massacre.
1t was then that George Croghan,
seventeen years Old at the time. got
his chance He had hurried home two
years before from Williams and Mary
College in Virginia. where he was tax
ing a post-graduate course in law, to
take part in the defense of his western
home against the Indians. Croghan
was the son Of Major William Croghan
of the Revolutionary army and his
mother was a sister of General George
Rogers Clarke. one Of the famous
founders Of civilization in the north
west
Young Croghan had been appointed
volunteer aid TO Colonel John +. Boyd
in the battle Of Tippecanoe on Novem-
Der :. 1911, and in 1872, when war with
England began, he was appointed cap
tain of infantry.
Ii was merely as 4 precaution against
remote possibilities that in the sum
mer of 1872 Fort Stephenson had been
built on the lower Sandusky river. A
frontier fort in those days was a sim |
pie affair, consisting mainly of n stock |
ade and a blockhouse. A blockhouse |
was constructed on the northwest cor |
ner and another in the middle of the |
north side of the fort. The space in |
closed by the stockade was about one |
hundred yards in one direction and |
about fifty in the other. And this
shanty of a fort was soon to become a
rock of defense, which rolled back a |
wave of invasion that was filling the |
western country with alarm.
III tne summer OF 1915 the northwest
was lost to the Americans, and
British force, under Maj. Gen. Proc
tor. was advancing upon Ohio, coast
ing the lake shore in boats. while the
Indian allies, under Tecumseh. made
their way by land. General Harrison.
the victor of Tippecanoe. was in com-
mand of the American army. All his
supplies We're at Upper Sandusly. and
he had force of about 500 regulars
and militia with which to maintain His
position against 500 British regulars
and militia. accompanied by Tecunp-
sch and his Indians, making the Brit
lsh force several thousand strong. 1t
was reported that Tecumpseh. with
1000 Indians, was poving straight upon
Harrison's base Of supplies by the III
rect road from the West. To check this
flank movement upon his consmunica-
tions Harrison established hilfself at
Seneca. ten miles in the rear Of For.
Stephenson. Against the advance of
the British up the Sandusky river the
only obstacle 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 18th
Regiment, United States Infantry. He
had strengthened the fort as much as