Some More About Patrick Gass-- Part 3: Met George Washington and James Buchanan

While stationed at Wheeling Creek, young Patrick Gass made the acquaintance of famed frontier scout Lewis Wetzel, whose accomplishments rivaled those of Daniel Boone, but who also had a deep hatred of Indians and rarely missed a chance to kill one.

With peace restored, Gass  became a carpenter, having bound himself in 1794 for  two years or more.  he built at least one house (which still stood in Wellsburg in 1859, and also worked on a house for Mr. James Buchanan, father of a boy who went on to become President of the United States.    Gass referred to the son as "Little Jimmy."

About this time , in 1794, Patrick also met  General Washington, when the latter led troops out to defeat the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.  Patrick remained neutral in the fight, though.

Gass apparently stuck to his carpenter trade until at least until May 1799.  At that time, relations between France and the United States worsened and Gass enlisted in the 19th Regiment under General Alexander Hamilton.

He was sent to Harpers Ferry in June, 1800, but was soon discharged at Little York, Pennsylvania.  However, Gass found that he really enjoyed the military life, he immediately reenlisted under Major Jonathan Cass, the father of General Lewis Cass.

--Brock-Perry

Patrick Gass-- Part 4: No Problems and the War of 1812

Despite his duties as a non-commissioned officer, Gass sometimes joined  the expedition's hunting trips.  He experienced no outstanding  adventures on the journey,  and no major injuries or illnesses.  However, he did slip in a canoe and fell back across the  gunwale which invalided him off the Jefferson River and into Lewis' advance party that located the Shoshones in August 1805.

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AFTERWARDS

Gass stayed in the Army after the expedition and served in the War of 1812.  

At one point during the war, he worked  under Daniel Boone in the construction of a small, temporary fort on the Mississippi River known as Fort Independence, or "Cap-au-Gris."

At the Battle of Lundy's Landing, he suffered the loss of an eye and was discharged from the Army.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Cap au Gris-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Also called Capo Gray.  A temporary fort near Troy, Missouri, built by Missouri Rangers (U.S. Mounted Rangers) under the direction of Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone.

After his defeat at Fort Johnson, Zachary Taylor (later U.S. president) and his soldiers returned to Cap au Gris in October 1814.

The Battle of Sink Hole was fought nearby on May 24, 1815.

The unincorporated community of Cap au Gris occupies the site of the fort.

--Brock-Perry

St. Charles (Mo.) & the War of 1812: A Boone Connection

From the World of Hannah Chribbs Evans blog.

The St. Charles militia was commanded by Nathan Boone.  They were replaced by a company of U.S. Mounted Rangers.

By 1813 that company was led by Captain Daniel Morgan Boone and Lt. James Callaway.   The two Boones were the sons of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone, who was then living at Femme Osage Creek, twenty miles southwest of St. Charles.

Lt. Callaway was the son of Flanders and Jemima Boone Callaway, and the grandson of Daniel Boone.

A Daniel Here, A Daniel There.  --Brock-Perry

Benjamin Howard (Missouri)-- Part 2: Attack on Peoria

The Louisiana Territory for which Benjamin Howard was governor was renamed the Missouri Territory in June 1812.

He resigned his post as governor in the War of 1812 and became a brigadier general in the 8th Military Department.  He and Nathan Boone (Daniel Boone's youngest son) attacked Sac and Fox villages in Illinois and established Fort Clark by Peoria.

--Brock-Perry

Ohio's Simon Kenton-- Part 1: A Very Interesting Life

From Wikipedia.

Lt.Col. Mills Srephenson's father and family moved to Washington, Kentucky before going to Ohio.  This town was founded by famous Indian fighter Simon Kenton.

(April 3, 1755 to April 29, 1836)  We're coming up on the 180th anniversary of his death.

Famous American frontiersman (whom I'd never heard of before) and soldier in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.  A friend of Daniel Boone and other frontier folks.

He served in the American Revolution, the Northwest Indian War and the War of 1812.  Simon Kenton was born in what is today Virginia and in 1771, at the age of 16, was forced to flee to the wilderness after he killed a man in a fit of jealous rage over a girl and lived under the assumed name of Simon Butler.  While there, he learned that the man had survived and he took back his real name.

During the American Revolution, he accompanied George Rogers Clark, (uncle of the hero of Fort Stephenson George Croghan) in his famous capture of Fort Sackville in Vincennes, Indiana.

In 177778, he waas adopted into the Shawnee tribe after running the gauntlet and ritual torture.

More to Come. --Brock-Perry