The Irish standard., 1906-08-18
Major Croghan Struck the Blow That W.
tirnately Won For the Nation the
Northwest Territory.
He Came of the Fighting Irish Stock, for the
Blood Of kelly, Burke and Shea"
Flowed in His Veins.

1 In l'"l he married Lucy Clark, sister
of George Rogers Clark, the mighty
inquire Of the Nincennes campaign, who
saved an empire to the American Re-
public. Another brother, William. was
the Clark who, with Captain Lewis
made the historic exploration tour
across the then unknown continent.
of such union was born the man
whom state and Il nation afterward
honorcd for bravery. The exact place
OF his birth was at Locust Grove, Ky,
few miles below Louisville He was
educated at William and Mary Col
| lege. Virginia, and at once entered th.
army. When but twenty years of age
he gained distinction at the battle of
Tippecanoe. and was promoted to a
| captaincy in March. 1872 being de-
t;'iIcd as aid-dc- camp to General Har-
ris"n, with the rank of Major. This
was his condition when the events that
We're to make him famous began To
I unfold themselves.
The Indians, under Tecumseh. and
the British, under General Proctor had
raised the siege of Fort Meigs, in what
is now Wood county. and were coming
toward the post at Upper Sandusky
and Seneca. The British sailed around
into Sandusky Bay. while their savage
allies marched across through the
s"amps and marshes Of the Portage
River They expected TO meet and
make Il combined attack upon Lower
| Sandusky white General Harrison was
engaged In protecting Forts VIM
chester and Meigs The work known
as Fort Stephenson was in reality an
old stockage used for storage PURPOSES
ana lhcioscd an acre Of ground
Examination by General Harrison
some days before the allies invested
Fort Mcigs showed that the stockade
was commanded by hill to the south
east. 1t was not strong enough to
resist heavy artillery. and only 200
men could be accommodated as n gar
/
with orders that If the British ap-
preached by water, which carried the
presumption that they had their heavy
artillery. he was to retreat. If noss,hle
destroying both the fort and the public
stores. If only the Indians came he
was to stand fast. as retreat through
these wary hostiles was an impos-
s'p'i't! ana a. defense was n certainty.
On July 20 General Harrison re-
ceived word that the siege of Fort
Meigs had been raised and that It
seemed the intention of the allies to
descend upon either Sandusky or
seneca At a council of war held that
night 1t was decided that Fort
stephenson was untenable and orders
were sent to Major Croghan to carry
out his original instructions. This
order did not reach Croghan until the
next morning at eleven o'clock. A
COUNCIL OF his officers reached the de-
cision that 1t was too late to retreat
ana the famous note was sent and the
meeting with General Harrison ar
ranged. On August l the advance
guard Of the enemy was seen on the
NIL over the river. They were the
fieet footed Indians who had been oh.
served by q accommodating party from
headquarters the day before. There
was but one piece of artillery in the
fort, odd Betsey," and it was prompt
~ fired, causing the redskins to retire.
Within half hour the British gum
boats part Of Commodore BARCLAYS
feet, hove into sight. A landing was
effected a half mile below the fort
and howitzer disembarked and
mounted.
| A British officer, Major Chambers
) with a flag Of truce, was sent for
ward and was met by Ensign Shipp.
OF the Seventeenth regiment. The
visitor demanded in the name of Gen.
: eral Proctor the Immediate surrender
OF the fort. The Americans were
warned that 1t would be almost i'm
possible to restrain the Indians in case
. Of success. and that the whole gar
rison would be slain. The gallant an
, swer was returned that the Indians
would find no one to massacre when
1.-THE fort fell, for every man had sworn