George Trotter-- Part 1: With Campbell and At Battle of the Thames

Same source as previous two posts.

Margaret Trotter was the wife of General Leslie Combs.  Sge was the youngest daughter of George Trotter and she writes about her father.

George Trotter was born in Virginia in 1779 and died in Lexington, Kentucky, October  13, 1815.  He was the son of Lt. Col. James Trotter, a soldier in the American Revolution.

George Trotter entered the Army in 1812 during the War of 1812 as the captain of a volunteer company of  dragoons and was wounded in action with the Indians under Col. John B. Campbell on December 18 of that year.

He became a lieutenant colonel  of Kentucky  Volunteers in 1813 and led a brigade of the state with rank of brigadier general at the Battle of the Thames October 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Phineas Riall-- Part 2: Burner of American Towns

As a major in 1805, he went to the West Indies with the 15th Regiment of Foot and participated in the capture of Martinique in 1809 and Guadeloupe in 1810.

After that he returned to Britain and rose to the rank of colonel and then became a major general through seniority.  He then was posted to Canada where he was in command at Montreal.  Then he accompanied Lt. General Drummond to attack the American side of the Niagara River.

He led a detachment across the river at Lewiston 19 December 1813.  He then advanced along the river, burning almost every American village, in reprisal for the U.S. burning of Newark ten days earlier.

And, he later got upset at Campbell doing the same thing?

--Brock-Perry

Phineas Riall, Royal Army-- Part 1: Born in Ireland, Rose Through Ranks With Purchased Commissions

From Wikipedia.

Back when I was writing about John B. Campbell, British officer Phineas Riall had condemned him for his destruction to Dover during his occupation of it.  Who was this Phineas Riall?

15 December 1775 to 10 November 1850

British general who succeeded John Vincent as commanding officer of the Niagara Peninsula in Upper Canada during the War of 1812.  In 1816, he was appointed governor of Grenada.

Born in Ireland to a Protestant family.  Entered the British Army as an ensign in 1794 and rose rapidly through the ranks with purchased commissions.  Spent seven years at half pay with no command or staff.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 4: Mortally Wounded in Action

Colonel Campbell commanded the 11th Infantry Regiment at the capture of Fort Erie and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippewa, Canada, on July 5, 1814.  He commanded the right wing of Brigadier General Winfield Scott's Army at that battle.

He died August 28, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 3: "The Whole Business Was Planned By Myself"

Campbell replied to British General Riall with this letter:

Niagara Frontier 16 June 1814

"Sir, - I have the honor to receive your communication of the 9th current. I commanded the detachment of the United States army which lately made a landing at Dover on lake Erie.

"What was done at that place and its vicinity proceeded from my orders.  The whole business was planned by myself and executed upon my responsibility."

This was the only time that letters were exchanged between opposing officers during the war.  Of course, British General Phineas Riall was no stranger to sacking American towns which was a big reason for Dover being so devastated.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 1: Born in Virginia, Moved to Kentucky

From Wikipidea.

March 13, 1777 to August 28, 1814

Famous for his expedition to destroy the Miami Indian villages along the Mississinewa River in Indiana and his infamous order to destroy private houses and other property in Dover, Canada, including stores of grain and mills.

This led to a Canadian Court of Enquiry and an unprecedented letter to the enemy explaining himself.

Mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa in July 1814.

Born in Virginia and his family moved to Kentucky around 1807 and became a lawyer in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

He was the son of Colonel Arthur Campbell who fought in the American Revolution and Indian Wars.  Campbell County, Tennessee, was named for him.  He had a brother named James H. Campbell who also fought in the War of 1812 and died at Mobile, Alabama.

--Brock-Perry

The Encampment Called Greene Ville-- Part 3: Abandoned and Reused in War of 1812

The site was abandoned after 1796.  Later, the buildings were burned for the nails to be reused in Dayton, Ohio.  What was left of the encampment began to rot.

During the War of 1812, sections of what was left of the enclosure were refitted and it was reused briefly as a supply depot and a staging area (used by Col. John B. Campbell's force preparing to attack the Miami Indians at Mississinewa).

After the war, it was abandoned again.

--Brock-Perry

Greenville and Fort Greenville, Ohio-- Part 2

I found that both the city of Greenville and Fort Greenville were located in the southwestern part of Ohio.  This would make it fairly close to the Miami Indian village of Mississinewa, which would make sense for the path Col. Campbell would have taken.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Greenville, Ohio-- Part 1: Some Difficulty Finding It

From the Ohio War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.

Last week, I was writing about John B. Campbell and his December attack on the Miami Indians village of Mississinewa in 1812.  He left from a Fort Greenville in Ohio.  I looked it up but couldn't find much about any Fort Greenville.

There is, however, a city of Greenville, Ohio.  Perhaps this was the site of the old Fort Greenville?

There were two markers listed in Greenville.  One was for the Colonel Campbell Campaign and the other for Second Fort and Second Treaty.

According to the commission, neither was completed.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell and the War in Indiana-- Part 8: Frostbite Prevalent

DECEMBER 24, 1812

His troops decimated by freezing weather, Campbell arrived back at Fort Greenville.  More than 300 of his troops suffered from frostbite.

He allowed the Indian women and children to ride captured Indian horses on the return trip.  The captives were escorted to Indian settlements at Piqua.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 7: Withdrawal Due to Cold

DECEMBER 18, 1812

Just before dawn, a force of about 300 Indians counter attacked Campbell, killing eight soldiers and wounding 48.  Fifteen Indians were killed.

Faced with bitter cold, mounting casualties and the loss of 109 soldiers killed in battles, Campbell determines to withdraw his forces to Fort Greenville.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell and the War in Indiana-- Part 5: Ordered to Destroy Miami Village of Mississinewa

NOVEMBER 25, 1812--

Harrison orders Campbell to attack and destroy the Miami village of Mississinewa.  Campbell is advised to try to spare chiefs Richardville, Silver Heels, White Loon, Charley and Pecon, and the sons and daughters of Little Turtle if it can be done without risk to his force.

He is also advised to guarantee the safety of the Indian women and children who are to be captured and conducted back to settlements in Ohio -- a condition that will eventually cost Campbell severe losses among his troops.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell and the War in Indiana-- Part 6: A Cold March and a Surprise

DECEMBER 14, 1812

Campbell's force of nearly 600 mounted troops, guided by William Conner departs Fort Greenville, Ohio, on an 80-mile forced march to the Miami towns on the Mississinewa River.

The snow is knee deep and the weather is bitter cold.

DECEMBER 18, 1812

Campbell's force surprises and attacks the first of four Indian villages on the Mississinewa River near present-day Jalapa.  Eight Indians and one African-American were killed and 42 Indians, including 34 women and children are captured.  Two American soldiers are killed.

--Brock-Perry

This John B. Campbell Is Not the One From the Battle of Rock Island Rapids

I was looking to find out more information on the commander of American forces at the Battle of Rock Island Rapids and for whom Campbell island was named for in Illinois.

I came across the name of John B. Campbell, an American officer during the War of 1812, and initially thought he was the same.  This is the man I wrote about in yesterday's post.

It turns out they are two different men, but I did see some sources confusing the two.

The Battle of Rock Island Rapids was fought July 19, 1814.  The Colonel John B. Campbell I wrote about in the last post was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa on July 5, 1814, and died August 28, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell and the War of 1812 on the Frontier-- Part 1: Attacks on Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison

From Mississinewa. 1812.  America's Most Exciting Living History Weekend-- At Mississinewa Battlefield, Marion, Indiana, October 13-15, 2017.

TIMELINE

SEPTEMBER 3, 1812--  Shawnees led by Missilimeta attacked Pigeon Roost settlement in southern Indiana and killed 20 whites.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1812--  Indians attack Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison  (Terre Haute) in Indiana. The Americans repulse them and then attack Indian villages north of the Wabash River.

--Brock-Perry

Local DAR Group To Restore War of 1812 Monument in the Quad-Cities- Part 1

From the July 20, 2016, Quad Cities (Ill-Iowa) Dispatch-Argus "Local DAR kicks off drive to restore War of 1812 monument" by Roger Ruthhart.

The Quad-Cities is a living history museum and one of the things that make it really historical is the War of 1812 Battle of Campbell's Island.

Members of the Mary Little Deere Fort Armstrong Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Wednesday launched a campaign to restore the monument there for future generations.

The battle took place on July 19, 1814, when a band of Sauk warriors led by Black Hawk attacked U.S. soldiers and their families traveling north on the Mississippi River to reinforce the American garrison at Fort Shelby at Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.

About 500 Saul warriors allied with the British attacked the First U.S. Regiment of Infantry and a company of Illinois Rangers led by Lt. John Campbell passed near the island.Eight men of tye First Regiment were killed and 16 (including Lt. Campbell) were wounded.  The Rangers lost four killed and 8 wounded.

A monument to one of the War's most western battles was dedicated in 1908, being erected by the State of Illinois and the Moline chapters of the DAR.

--Brock-Perry

Port Talbot, Canada-- Part 3: Raided Often

From Wikipedia.

It was established by Thomas Talbot in 1803.

During the War of 1812, several former inhabitants of Port Talbot joined with the Americans and worked for vengeance on Thomas Talbot and conducted several raids on it from across Lake Erie.  Not only did they hit Port Talbot, but also Port Dover and several other locations.

I mentioned earlier that some found Talbot's authoritarian handling of internal affairs at the town offensive and wanted to get back at him.

On May 19, 1814, a small American raiding party under Col. John B. Campbell attacked Port Talbot.  Five days earlier, they had also attacked Port Dover and burned several flour mills, saw mills, distilleries and a significant number of homes.

Other raids on Port Talbot took place in July, August and September.  The September 9 one resulted in the grist mill being burned to the ground.  Also burned were the saw mill, several houses and farms.

--Brock-Perry