The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-08-04

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Hazard Perry was busily engaged in building
the fleet with which he was to win his famous
naval victory later and at Upper Sandusky,
some 20 miles up the river from Fort Stephen
son, was the great depot of supplies for the
American armies in the Northwest. SO IL Fort
Stephenson fell it would leave the way open for
the British to attack either Erie Upper San
dusky.
To defend this post Croghan had force of
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 Ship. Lieutenant Ander-
son, who had command, served a volun-
teer in the ranks. To defend it he also had a
solitary piece of artillery, the little six-pounder
now known to fame "Old Betsy" the affec-
honate title bestowed upon it by Croghan's men.
Late in July, 1913, General Proctor with a
force of 600 British regulars and some 5000
Indians under Tecumseh crossed the lake from
Maiden and appeared before Fort Meigs the
Maumee. Failing in his attempt to draw its gar
rison out into sortie, he determined to make
a 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 the British APP
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
to 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. Creghan 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. M, 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, can!'
Harrison could not let such fragrant DISC
bedence 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 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 a tree to reconnoiter but
he was brought tumbng down by shot from
the long rifle of 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 o'clock in the afternoon the British
boats appeared around bend in the river and
opened fire the fort Proctors regulars were
disembarked about a mile below the fort, a
howitzer was landed and opened fire. CrOghan's
men dragged "Old Betsy from portfolio to port
hole to send an occasional shot in reply and
to give an impression of greater artillery force
So the unequal contest began-Croghan and his
160 men and gun against Proctor's force of
100 supplied with plenty of artillery.
After a brief exchange of shots three British
officers. Colonel Elliott, Major Chambers and
Captain Dixon came forward with white flag
to demand the surrender of the fort. So Croghan
sent out Ensign Ship, 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"
Then Colonel Elliott, pretending to be fear
full for Ships safety, urged him to return to
the fort at once AS he started, an Indian sprang
from the bushes and tried to wrest his sword
from him. Dixon pretended to drag the savage
away with great difficulty bit of play acting
which did not brighten the young ensign in the