The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-08-03

I'M But nearby there liz something which
is quite likely to halt him before he
- speeds on his way. 1t Is a little cannon,
between the wheels Of whose carriage is d metal
plate which tells him that this is "Od Betsy
Cannon used by Major George Croghan against
the British and Indians In the defense OF Fort
Stephenson, August and 2, 1873" Back OF that
brief inscription is the story Of one OF the most
brilliant feats In American history.
It Is the story OF a youthful American military
leader and his seven equally youthful subalterns
who set high example OF courage and daring
fer future young Americans to emulate, and 1T
Ii the story of gun, insignificant In appear
ance, which vitality affected the course of Amer
lean history big Bertha of World war fame,
the greatest piece of artillery ever devised by
man, failed to break the morale OF the French
and lead to German victory as Its builders had
hoped But "Old Betsy" little slx-pounder
which would be lost In the cavernous depths OF
the World war piece, once turned the tide In a
crucial battle 120 years ago and saved verit-
able empire for the American flag.
Before beginning that story, however, first a
brief word about the chief actor In it-Maj.
George Croghan He a Kentucklan, born
near Louisville, November Is, 1871, and neph-
ew OF George Rogers Clark, 1.-The Savior OF the
Old Northwest" during the Revolution Grad
uated from william and Mary college In Vir~
ginla at the age OF eighteen, he served as
volunteer aid to Colonel Boyd in the expedl-
ton commanded by Gen. William Henry Har-
rison which sent to break up the conspir-
acy OF Tecumseh, the great Shawnee chIeftain.
In 1911 Croghan distinguished himself at the
Battle OF Tlppecanoe. received an appointment
la the army and at the outbreak Of the War Of
1872 he was a captain In the Seventeenth In
fantry, from which rank he was promoted to
major In the same regiment for gallantry In a
sortie during the Siege of Fort Meigs by the
British
Soon afterwards he was sent with battalion
OF his regiment. composed OF some 100 officers
and men, to take command OF Fort Stephenson.
q ramshacke old stockade, built around for
mer Indian traders house at the head of nayga-
ton ON the Sandusky river about 20 miles from
Lake Erie In Ohio. The modern city OF Ere
mont now stands on that site but 1t Is known
In frontier history as Lower Sandusky, rally
Ing place for the tribes OF the Old Northwest
and the scene OF many dark deed of torture
of white captives
The stockade was made of posts about 10
feet high and outside them was dry ditch
s or 8 feet wide and or feet deep. 1t en-
closed about an acre OF ground and was laid
out In the form of paraelogram with a block
house at the northeast corner and guardhouse
at the southeast. Midway on the north WALL
Crsghan built another blockhouse from which
he could enfilade the ditch and he also strength
ened the weak places In the stockade-
Despite its unlmposng appearance, Fort
Stephenson was an important post II was at the
apex OF triangle, the base line Of which con-
nected Erie and Upper Sandusky. AT Erie Oliver
Hazard Perry was busiy engaged In building
the fleet with which ne was to win his famous
naval victory later and at Upper Sandusky,
some 20 miles up the river from Fort Stephen
son, vas the great depot OF supplies for the
American armies In the Northwest. SO Ii Fort
Stephenson fell II would leave the way open for