The Coolidge examiner., 1933-08-04
Croqhan5 Battle "Ace'

the British TO attack either Erie or Upper San
dusky
To defend this post Croghan had force of a
little over $50 men and the following officers
most OF them younger than Croghan himself
Capt. James Hunter, Lieuts Benjamin Johnston
and Cyrus A Baylor, Ensgns John Meek. Joseph
Duncan and Edmund Shipp Lieutenant Ander-
son, who had no command. served as volun-
teer In the ranks. To defend II he also had a
solitary piece of artillery, the little six-pounder
now known to fame as "Old Betsy" the affec-
ionate title bestowed upon II by Croghan's men.
Late in July, 1S13 General Proctor with a
force of 600 British regulars and some 1900
Indians under Tecumseh crossed the lake from
Maiden and appeared before Fort Meigs on the
Maumee. Failing In his attempt TO draw its gar
rison out into q sortie, he determined to make
dash against Fort Stephenson, capture it and
fall upon General Harrisons small force at
Seneca Falls about 10 miles up the river Har-
rison had previously inspected the fort and, be-
lieving it could not be held against artillery,
he directed Croghan, in case the British ap-
peared, to abandon the fort and retreat SO when
his scouts told him of the coming of the enemy,
on the night of July % he sent orders to Croghan
10 destroy the place at once and retire TO Seneca
Falls.
The messengers bearing these orders lost their
way in the woods, narrowly escaped capture by
the Indians and did not reach the fort until the
morning OF July 80. Croghan Immediately called
a council OF war of his young officers and find
ing them as determined as he was sent this note
TO Harrison: "Sir-I have just received yours
of yesterday ten o'clock p. H., ordering me to
destroy this place, and make good my retreat,
which was received too late to be carried into
execution. We have determined to maintain this
place, and, by heavens, cant"
bedience of orders pass by. He Immediately sent
Colonel Wells with a squadron of cavalry to
relieve Croghan of his command and ordered
the young major to report at headquarters at
once. Croghan FASTENED to Harrison's camp and
succeeded in placating his commander so that
he was allowed to return to Fort Stephenson and
resume command with permission to try to hold
the fort against the expected British attack.
1t came about noon of August when Indians
in large numbers surrounded the fort. One of
the red men climbed tree to reconn0iter but
he was brought tumbling down by a shot from
the long rifle of one of the Kentuckians in the
fort. Then the Indians gathered in a body at
the edge of the clearing but one shot from "Old
Betsy" quickly dispersed them.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon the British
boats appeared around a bend in the river and
opened fire on the fort. Proctor's regulars were
disembarked about a mile below the fort,
howitzer was landed and opened fire. Croghan's
men dragged "Old Betsy" from portfolio to port
hole to send occasional shot in reply and
to give impression of greater artillery force.
So the unequal contest began-Croghan and his
100 men and one gun against Proctor's force of
200 supplied with plenty of artillery
After a brief exchange of shots three British
officers, Colonel Elliott, Major Chambers and
Captain Dixon, came forward with a white flag
to demand the surrender of the fort. SO Croghan
sent out Ensign Shipp. the youngest officer in
the fort, to meet them. To the British officers
demands that the fort be surrendered Shipp re-
piled that the Americans were prepared to de-
fend it to the death of the last man and when
one of them pleaded with him to prevent the
slaughter which must follow resistance should
you fall into the hands of the savages" Ship
made the spirited reply of "When the fort shall
be taken there will be none to massacre"