So, Where Is Sodus Point, New York?-- Part 1

I have to admit, I'd never heard of this place before coming across it preparing for this blog.

It is about 1/3 of the way in eastern New York's Lake Ontario.  Looking at a map you will see a fairly big indentation of a body of water which is Sodus Bay from whence the village takes its name.  It is in the northeastern part of the Town of Sodus.

During the War of 1812, it was burned (except for one building) by a British raiding party (which I have been writing a real lot about lately).

In the 19th century, the area became an important port on Lake Ontario, but the locating of the Erie Canal to the south shifted transportation patterns.  By the late 19th century it became a popular vacation resort.

Population in the 2010 census was 900.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point: Bryam Green

U.S. Congressman.  Graduated from Williams College, Massachusetts, in 1808.  While a student there in 1806, he was one of five participants in the Haystack Prayer Meeting which is regarded as the launching point of the American Church Missionary service.

He was a professor at a college in South Carolina in 1810.  He studied law, was admitted to the bar and  practiced it in Sodus, New York.

During  the War of 1812, he  served in the military and fought  in the Battle of Sodus Point.

After the war, he was  a member of the New York State Assembly (1816-1822) and served in the New York State Senate (1823-1824).  In 1843, he was elected Democrat to the Twenty-eighth  U.S. Congress, serving  until 1845.

After leaving Congress, he lived in retirement until his death at age 79.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point: Three Americans Taken Prisoner (the Free Mason, the Idiot and the Black Man)

Three Americans were taken prisoner by the British during the confusion of the battle (well, more of a skirmish than battle).

They were Christopher Britton, Harry Skinner and Gilbert Saulter.

Of interest, Gilbert Saulter was a black man who had shouldered his musket to fight side by side with his white brothers.

The enemy put these men ashore before departing.  Tradition has it that Britton was released because he was a Free Mason and that Skinner convinced them that he was a drink or idiotic and carried on in such a manner that the British commander lost his patience and ordered his men to "put the damned fool on shore."

No one knows why Saulter was put ashore, but possibly because of his race.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Sodus Point, Asher Warner's Grave

Asher Warner is buried in the  Brick Church Cemetery, his grave marked by a  monument erected years later  by the younger son, Jonathan.  While the date of death on the tombstone is given as  June 12, 1813, and this date is sometimes given in newspaper accounts of the period, affidavits filed in attempts to get compensation, and other credible evidence, establish the 19th as the correct date.

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The marker reads:

In memory of  ASHER WARNER who fell in the Battle of Sodus  June 12, 1813 while fighting in the defence of his country.

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In 1927, the General Swift Chapter, Daughters of 1812, placed two boulders with bronze plaques at Sodus Point, one at the site of the engagement, and the other at the site of the Mansion House where Mr. Warner died.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point, Some More on the Death of Asher Warner: The Pathetic Story

The story of the return of Asher Warner's remains to his home is a pathetic  one.  The Warner family -- Asher, Mrs. Warner and two boys (children of Mr. Warner by a former wife) -- lived about one-half mile from the Brick Church (near Wallington).

Word reached the family that Mr. Warner had been killed.  Twelve year old Daniel harnessed a horse to the lumber wagon and drove his lonely way through the many miles of woods to Sodus Point, reaching there between sundown and dark.

Isaac Davidson and another man helped take his father's blood-soaked body from the tavern and place it in the wagon.  In utter darkness and with his gruesome burden, the boy wended his way back, counting every hoof beat that brought him nearer home.  But he arrived to find the log house dark and deserted,  His stepmother, displaying  shameful callousness, had taken five-year-old Jonathan with her and departed fo a neighbor's house two or three miles away.

Daniel had to go nearly a mile for help.  He got John Peeler, a boy about his own age,  and the two children alone and at midnight carried the body from the wagon to the house, keeping watch over it until nine or ten o'clock the next morning when neighbors came and prepared the remains for burial.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point: The Story of Asher Warner and Charles Terry

Two Americans were mortally wounded and several others were struck in the initial British volley.  The next morning, the British opened a slight cannonade, landed a small force, seized te few supplies in the warehouses and then  set all the buildings except one on fire.

The building saved was the Mansion House.  This building was spared because Asher Warner, one of the two Americans wounded in the initial volley, had been picked up by the British and carried to the tavern where he died a few hours later.

It is said that   the man who had been locked in the  Lummis Mill (Isaac Davidson), found the dead man in the tavern.  Clutched in his hand still was the pitcher of water the British had given him.]

Charles Terry, also wounded in the fray, lived about seven miles south of the point.  He returned home by wagon soon after  receiving his wound.  It is said that when his wife heard he was on his way home, injured,  she started on foot through the mud and rain to meet the wagon.

He was in bed  for about two weeks and it was thought that he would recover.  Feeling better, he got up and walked to the door, caught cold and died some days later, aged about 48 years.

--Brock-Perry

Some Sodus Point Stories-- Part 3: 'Hide and Seek' in the Woods

The British did not get as much of the American supplies as they had hoped for.

Of course, a big part of the reason was that the Americans had moved the supplies of flour, pork and whiskey farther inland.  This was a result of a sugestion by Daniel Arms.  The town of Sodus was organized  in his home and he had seen to it that the supplies were removed.

The other reason is that the British were careless with what they did find.  They rolled barrels out of second floor windows which caused them to crash and break open.

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Other Incidents

**  Charles Eldridge was heard to yell from the bushes early in the fighting:  "I am killed.  I am killed."  Examination showed that he had only a slight flesh wound in his neck.

**  George Palmer said that while making a good run for the rear, he passed Elder Norton, then not a young man but a gruff one.  Norton said, "Go on, don't wait for me, I won't run."

**  Major Farr and Lieutenant Nathaniel Merrill played some kind of "Hide and Seek" with each other in the woods, each thnking the other was an enemy.  Farr got so tangledd up in the woods that he did not find his way out until the morning.

--Brock-Perry

Some Sodus Point Stories: Leadership and Tactics Changes

Eventually, some sixty Americans gathered in town to defend it.  Leadership of the group passed around.

When they first gathered they chose as leader the Rev. Seba Norton, called "Elder" Norton, the builder and pastpr of  the Brick Church near Sodus Center (the oldest church in Sodus).  He had been a soldier in the American Revolution and was known as a man of courage.

Later, however, Captain Elias  Hull of Lyons, a regular member of the militia, arrived and took command.

"When the British were about to land at Sodus Point, Captain Norton was there with some 50 to 60 men.  He divided them intosquads of about 10,  placed them in different ambuscades, pointing out the way to retreat if assailed, and told them to pop away as fast as they could.

"Before the British landed, however, a Colonel from Seneca Fall arrived with reinforcements.  Captain Norton told what he had done, and the colonel said he must recall the men and make what show they could in front.....  The British advanced from the water with lanterns or torches at their head.  Amasa Johnson shot down several of their lights, producing some delay and confusion."

--Brock-Perry

Some Stories from the Battle of Sodus Point: Ammi Ellsworth and Isaac Davidson 'Who in Hell Am I?'

Frim the Historic Sodus Point site.

One of the men who was at the battle on the American side was Ammi Ellsworth who lived between the point and the village of Sodus  It is said that he was one of a pair of identical twins with his brother Levi.

"Ammi, on occasion,  partook of the cup that cheers and does inebriate, and when he reached a certain stage of exhuberance, was wont to turn to a bystander and say, 'Am I Ammi, or am I not Ammi?  If I am not Ammi, then who in hell am I?' "

Another was Isaac Davidson, who was the miller at Dr. William Lummis' grist mill some  two miles west of Sodus Point near the mouth of Salmon Creek.  That evening, Davidson had been locked in the mill by mistake.  We do not know how he got out, but got to the Point in time for the battle.

The great wrought iron  hinges and superb handle of the mill is now on a resident of Sodus' home and the author wonders what it was like for Ike to get out that night.

To Get Out and Then Go Get Shot At.  Oh Boy.  --Brock-Perry

Lead Up to Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 4: His Home destroyed Because Militia Stationed There

Asabel Bannister stated that during the British attack of the village of Sodus, that he acted as Quartermaster for  in Col. Swift's regiment of  militia, then in gthe service of the United States.  He was the bearer of a flag of truce to the enemy and met them also under a flag of truce.

The British officer told Bannister that they would spare the village and not burn or destroy any private property upon the condition that the public stores and provisions which had been removed, be given to them.

Quartermaster Bannister replied that he was not authorized  to make any such stipulation, but would report the request to his superior officers and in three to four hours return with an answer.  Those officers refused the offer and Bannister returned to the British with the news.

This led to the nighttime engagement that took place a little west of William Eadus' home which reslted in the  killing and wounding of several of the British.  In his claim to the U.S. government, he stated that the reason for his home's destruction was that military stores were in Sodus and that his home had been used as barracks for some of the American soldiers.

--Brock-Perry

Lead Up to Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 3: The British Arrive and Do Damage

William Burnett,  brigadier general of the 24th Brigade of New York Militia. said that on June 16, 1813, information was received that the British had landed on the Genessee River and were coming to Sodus Point where they knew a large supply of provisions and stores were being kept.  He immediately ordered the regiment of militia commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Swift into service for the country and to go to Sodus to protect that public property.

They assembled there and removed a large part of the public property to safety.  On the morning of the 19th, the British not having shown up, the greater part of the militia was dismissed and only a guard left.  

That night, the British did arrive and put a party of men on land  whocarried away or destroyed all public property remaining in the storehouse of Nathanie Merrill, and then burned it down and destroyed several other buildings, among them the house of William Eadus who later filed a petition for reimbursement with the U.S. government.

--Brock-Perry

Lead Up to the Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 2: British Raiding Parties

Lake Ontario provided the best east-west travel in the area and the British took full advantage of it having the strongest Navy on the lake at the time.  Whenever possible, they would land and steal U.S. government supplies housed in warehouses  at locations such as Oswego, Rochester port at Charlotte and Sodus Point.  

On June 15, 1813, they had done just that at the Rochester port at Charlotte.  When word of this reached Sodus Point, the militia was called to defend the Wayne County village should  the British continue moving eastward.

For five days the village waited anxiously.  In the meantime, residents hurriedly hid likely targets of the British such as  flour, whiskey and pork in the woods.  However, on the morning of June 19, with no British arrival, the militia was sent home.

And, of course, that afternoon, the British hove into view, and, about sixty residents and militia men who vcould be flagged down, gathered to defend the village.

About 100-150 British came ashore at midnight and engaged in a short battle with the Americans before retreating.  They discovered that the warehouse was essentially empty, and in anger, returned the next day to plunder and burn the village.

The only building spared was a tavern where  injured local resident Asher Warner was brought to die.

--Brock-Perry

Asahel Bannister

From Find-a-Grave.

ASAHEL BANNISTER

BIRTH:  17 July 1784, Goshen, Massachusetts

DEATH:  16 January1858  (aged 78), Geneva, New York

BURIAL:  Joslyn Cemetery  Phelps, New York

An officer in the American Army in the War of 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Asahel Bannister and the Battle of Sodus Point

Asahel Bannister was born at Goshen, Massachusetts, on July  17, 1784, and he died at Geneva, New York, on January 16, 1858, at age  74.    He married  Polly Mighells on February 22, 1807.    She was born on May 10, 1787, and died  on January  23, 1837, at age 50.

As did many male members of the Bannister lineage, Asahel, at the age of 28,  volunteered to defend  American interests and was named as an officer in the War of 1812.  Asahel is mentioned in at least one accound as being the quartermaster of the 24th Brigade of the New York Militia under the command of Brigadier General William Burnett.

Colonel Asahel Bannister was involved in the battle with the British at Sodus, New York, on June 19, 1813.  He was  responsible for the successful storage of provisions and military equipment which were the target of the British raiding party at that battle.

--Brock-Perry

Lead Up to the Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 1

From Historic Sodus Point site "Lead up to the Battle  of Sodus Point."

Scott Bannister has been doing a lot of research on  his abcestor  Colonel Asahel Bannister who was the Quartermaster in charge of the supplies and barracks at Sodus Point during the War of 1812.  The information comes from the efforts of  William Eadus who in addition to Captain William   Wickham, applied  to Congress for compensation for their destroyed homes that were used to store supplies for the militia and provided barracks as well.

Ultimately, neither man succeeded in this endeavor.  Congress denied their petition.

There was some question as to why the British did not attept to procure the Sodus Point supplies as they did at Pultneyville where they negotiated the release.  The answer was that they had spent some four hours under a flag of truce.

Why did the British attack at night, something that rarely happened during the American Revolution and War of 1812.  Such action was considered very dangerous.  The answer could be this, and that was that the British knew that the American militia knew they were there and they hoped to attack before the Americans got reinforcements.

--Brock-Perry

Red Brick Church Meeting House in Sodus, NY

From the Town of Sodus Historical Society.

This is where the Brick Church Cemetery is located.

The single American fatality from the Battle of Sodus Point in 1813, Asher Warner is laid to rest in the cemetery  along with over twenty soldiers of the American Revolution and the War of 1812.  And there are over 140 honored veterans of domestic and foreign conflicts also laid to rest.

Another person who was very influential  in the establishment of the meeting house was Elder Norton.  who initially was in charge of the volunteers who showed up to defend Sodus Point during the British attack in the War of 1812.

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From Wayne NY Gen Web.

Located about six miles north of Lyons village, in the town of Sodus.  In the restoration of this cemetery, the stones were taken up, the land cleared and leveled, the stones replaced with no regards to family.  It is a tragic sight.

--Brock-Perry

Asher Warner

ASHER WARNER

BIRTH:  1777

DEATH:  12 June 1813 (aged 35-36)

BURIAL:  Brick Church Cemetery, Sodus Center, New York

Inscription:  In memory of Asher Warner who fell in the Battle of Sodus Point while fighting in the  defence of his country.

(His wife preceded him in death almost three years earlier.)

Wife:  HANNAH FIELD WARNER

BIRTH:  7 January 1779, Deerfield, Massachusetts

DEATH:   August 1810, Sodus, New York

BURIAL:   Brick Church Cemetery

The Brick Church Cemetery is also known as Baptist Rural Cemetery.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 2: The Next Day

The following day, June, 20, 1813, the British ships  fired cannons into the village and once more landed.  The Americans expecting this, had taken most of the supplies from local the warehouse and hidden them in the nearby ravine.

Afterwards, the British troops burned all the public buildings except  Mansion House where mortally wounded  Asher Warner had been moved by British soldiers.  It is said that the British placed a pitcher of water bear him and that officers twice extinguished a fire kindled by the men to destroy the building.

This memorial is to honor the brave men who lost their lives during this battle and the lasting peace between the two nations which has existed since the War of 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 1: It Was a Small Affair

I wrote about this battle in my last two posts, but had never heard of it.  Here is some more information:

From the HMdb site  "The War of 1812 Bicentennial Peace Garden -- Sodus Point--.

Inscription:

The Battle of Troupesville (later renamed Sodus Point) was fought at the brow of this hill on the rainy evening of June  19th, 1813.  A group of approximately  60 Americans (farmers who had no military training and poorly trained militia) fired into a group of  about 200 British  marines as they ascended the hill.

Two Americans (Asher Warner and Charles Terry and three British marines would die from wounds received.  After the initial volley, the Americans retreated into the underbrush and the British retreated back to the five ships that lay in anchor offshore.

Three Americans were captured  as the two sides intermingled in the darkness, but they were released then next day.

--Brock-Perry

Overdue Honors for Soldier of Forgotten War-- Part 2: John P. Albaugh

The ceremony will begin at 1:30 pm will feature a War of 1812 medallion needs to be authorized by the Daughters of the War of 1812 and is about four inches wide and is being attached to the stone by Roger Clark of the Lyons Memorial Shop.

John P. Albaugh operated a tavern in the Lyons hamlet of  Alloway.

The Battle of Sodus Point took place on June 19, 1813, when British soldiers came ashore during the night for a raid and were met by a ragtag band of militia and citizens that included Albaugh.  Two Americans and two British were killed in the exchange of gunfire.

The British retreated to their boats, but came back the next day to burn the village.  But, the Americans had already removed anything of value.

Albaugh is not the only War of 1812 veteran buried in the South Lyons Cemetery.  Others include Dr. Cyrus Jackson, Thomas Dorsey, Joseph Goseline, Ananias Langdon, Edward Leach and George Sparks.

--Brock-Perry