Home Om780_1028727_007

Reference URL

Add tags

Comment

Save to favorites

To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or document

To embed the entire object, paste this HTML in website

To link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or document

To embed this page, paste this HTML in website

George Croghan Report to General William Henry Harrison Regarding Preparations for an Attack on Fort Stephenson

Om780_1028727_007

Save page

1 of 2

View Description

View Image & Text

This page

All

Subset

Image
Text

Text Search...

Loading content ...

you wish to report:

Your comment:

Your Name:

Submit

Cancel

...

Title	George Croghan Report to General William Henry Harrison Regarding Preparations for an Attack on Fort Stephenson
Subject	Military Ohio War of 1812 Forts & fortifications Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841
Place	Fremont (Ohio) Sandusky County (Ohio)
Description	Colonel George Croghan was the commander of Fort Stephenson, the site of an American victory over the British and American Indian forces in the War of 1812. He wrote this report to General William Henry Harrison in anticipation of an attack by British and American Indian troops. In the one-page letter, Croghan informs Harrison that his men are working on making ammunition and are prepared to destroy all of the remaining supplies if they have to evacuate. The report measures 15.25" x 10.25" (38.74 x 26.04 cm). Fort Stephenson, near present-day Fremont, was built on high ground on the western bank of the Sandusky River. In the spring of 1813 Colonel Stephenson rebuilt the trading post as a military supply fort. In June 1813 Major George Croghan took command at Fort Stephenson. He had distinguished himself at Fort Meigs and was promoted to major at the age of twenty-one. Major Croghan had 160 men, mostly Kentucky regulars from the 17th U.S. Infantry Regiment, under his command. In August 1813, 1500 British troops and their American Indian allies surrounded Fort Stephenson. Croghan realized he was clearly outnumbered and outgunned. "Old Betsy" was the only piece of heavy artillery in Fort Stephenson, so Croghan ordered the cannon to be moved around the perimeter of the fort to make it appear that there were more cannons. Croghan anticipated the British attack from the northwest that began in the afternoon of August 2. He allowed the troops to cluster in a nearby ditch from which they were planning to storm the fort and then fired "Old Betsy". General Proctor ordered the British troops to retreat. Nearly 150 British and American Indians were killed in the battle, while Croghan and his American troops lost one soldier. The Battle of Fort Stephenson was a pivotal moment in the War of 1812. The disastrous defeat of the British at Fort Stephenson greatly weakened British ties with their American Indian allies.
Creator	Croghan, George
Date of Original	July 13, 1813
Collection	Fort Stephenson Collection http://www.sandusky-county-scrapbook.net/
Source	Unpublished material (archives/manuscripts)
Submitting Institution	Birchard Public Library
Type	Text
Format	manuscripts

Title	Om780_1028727_007
Rights	For rights and reproduction requests, go to the Ohio Historical Society's Audiovisual and Graphic Reproduction Services page at http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/audiovis/photodup.html; Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information
File Name	Om780_1028727_007.tif
Image Height	4453
Image Width	3394
File Size	5547.571 KB
Full Text	[corresponds to front of letter] Lower Sandusky, 25th July 1813 Gen.l Harrison. Dear Sir W. Connor has just arrived- with the Indians which were sent by you to Fort Meigs a few days since, to him I refer you for information from that quarter. I have unloaded the boats which were brought from Cleaveland, & shall sink them in the middle of the River (where it is 10 feet deep) about 1/2 half mile above the present landing. My men are engaged in making Cartridges, & will have in short time more than suffi =cient to answer any ordinary Call. I have collected all the most valuable stores in our house, should I be forced to [illegible & scratched out] evacuate the place they will be blown up. Yours with Respect GCroghan Major Com? L. Sandusky Major. Gen.l Harrison

Find results with:

Searching collections:

Home Om780_1028727_007

George Croghan Report to General William Henry Harrison Regarding Preparations for an Attack on Fort Stephenson

Object Description

Description

Tags

Comments

George Croghan Report to General William Henry Harrison...

George Croghan Report to General William Henry Harrison...

	All
	Pages Enter page numbers or page ranges separated by commas. For example: 1,3,5-12