Battle of Fort Stephenson-- Part 5: Honors and Reburial

Once the British and General Proctor were defeated at Fort Stephenson, he withdrew back to Fort Detroit, with the Americans under Gen. Harrison following closely.  Shortly after Fort Stephenson, Commodore Perry would defeat the British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie near Put-In-Bay.

The Americans now had complete control of Lake Erie and British prospects of supplies and reinforcements essentially ceased.

For his exploit, despite disobeying orders, George Croghan was brevetted to lieutenant colonel by the President of the United States.  In 1835, the U.S. Congress awarded him the Gold Medal.  later, he was made Inspector general with the rank of colonel.

During the Mexican War, he served with General Taylor.  Two years later, he died in New Orleans.  In 1906, he remains were disinterred from his family plot in Kentucky and  moved to Fremont, Ohio (site of Fort Stephenson) and placed in a special crypt at the base of the Soldiers' Monument honoring Fremont's veterans and specifically the Battle of Fort Stephenson, 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Fort Stephenson (Fremont, Ohio)-- Part 1: A Standoff Ensued

Continuing from the last post.  From the Touring Ohio site.

Lt. Shipp and his group ran back to Fort Stephenson just as the British  opened fire from their gunboats.  The firing continued sporadically throughout the night.  The Americans occasionally returned fire.  Because they only had one cannon, after each firing they would relocate it to confuse the British.    This continued throughout the  night of August 1.

During the night, the British moved three of their six 6-pounder cannons to positions in the woods northwest of the fort.  This was slightly higher ground than the fort.  Today, there is a sign marking their position.

Towards sunrise, the British increased their rate of fire, but the Americans remained quiet.  The standoff continued throughout the day  It became clear to Major Croghan that the British were concentrating their fire on the northwest corner of the fort.  He ordered bags of sand and sacks of flour to be stacked up against those walls to help  deaden the impact of cannonballs striking those walls.

--Brock-Perry

Last Major Action in Ohio-- Part 2: Confrontation at Fort Stephenson

British plans called for a demonstration toward Fort Seneca, which they expected William Harrison would reinforce with troops from heavily defended Fort Meigs.  Tecumseh and his warriors had been left by Fort Meigs and as soon as the Americans left the fort to defend Fort Seneca, they were to attack.

The British were not expecting any problems at Fort Stephenson as related in the last post.  However, they hadn't figured on the fort's commander, 21-year-old Major George Croghan.

British ships came up the Sanduskey River from Sanduskey Bay in Lake Erie and their scouts reported that Fort Stephenson was just ahead and was occupied.  British General Proctor hadn't expected Harrison to defend such a weak post and determined to capture it and its garrison,  (Harrison had actually ordered Croghan to abandon the fort,)

When Croghan received the word that the British were on their way, he immediately alerted Harrison of the situation.  Harrison ordered him to abandon Fort Stephenson (where present-day Fremont is located) and burn it.  However, before those orders could arrive, Croghan had decided to defend his fort.  He ignored Harrison's orders.

He had but one cannon operating.  The British arrived and took up position to the north of the fort.  They sent messengers under a flag of truce to demand he surrender his fort.

What did Major Croghan tell the British?

Here's Where It Gets Interesting.  --Brock-Perry

Last Major Action in Ohio (1813): Going Up the Sanduskey River and George Croghan at Fort Stephenson

From the Touring Ohio site.

The British failed to take Fort Meigs in a second attack and then turned their attention to the Sanduskey River as a way to get around Fort Meigs.  They came up the river from where Port Clinton is located today.

They were hoping to draw out the Fort Meigs defenders and to have them make a stand, not at Fort Stephenson, but Fort Seneca.

Fort Stephenson (where Fremont, Ohio, is located today) was the first of three forts Harrison had built along the Sanduskey River.  Then next one upriver was Fort Seneca and then there was smaller one, essentially a depot) called Fort Ball (present-day Tiffin, Ohio).

The British knew that Fort Stephenson was a poorly constructed outpost and only mounted one or two cannons so they figured it wouldn't be too difficult of an obstacle.  However, what they hadn't counted on was that the fort was commanded by 21-year-old Major George Croghan.

Meet George.  --Brock-Perry

Lt.Col. Mills Stephenson-- Part 9: To Kentucky and Ohio

William Stephenson (Mills Stephenson's father) and the group proceeded to the town of Washington, Kentucky, founded by noted Indian scout Simon Kenton.

They remained in Kentucky until 1798 when they moved to Ohio where William Stephenson located and settled on land he had as a warrant for his Revolutionary War service..  It was in Adams, now Brown County.  Here William erected a log cabin on the land where he would live the rest of his life.

On reaching manhood, Col. Mills Stephenson married Miss Kilpatrick and settled on a farm near his father.  He became very involved in southern Ohio business and politics.

As a colonel in the Second War with England, his troops built Fort Stephenson which was "so heroically defended by young Croghan, where now stands the town of Fremont, Ohio.

--Brock-Perry

Lt.Col. Mills Stephenson-- Part 2: Masonic Apron

I found some more information about him at the Ohio Memory Collection.

At Fremont, Ohio, there is a Mills Stephenson Masonic Apron which belonged to the colonel.

He is mentioned as one of the builders of Fort Stephenson (now Fremont, Ohio) and was the fort's first commander.

It served as a trading post from 1806 to 1813 and was built on high ground on the western bank of the Sanduskey River,

In the spring of 1813, Stephenson rebuilt the trading post as a military supply fort.  In mid-June 1813, George Croghan took command and became famous for his victory a few weeks later.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Stephenson-- Part 2: Site Located On Croghan Street

There is a Croghan Street in Fremont, named after you-know-who.

The Croghan Monument and site of the fort is located at 423 Croghan Street.

Croghan Day is observed every August 2nd., anniversary of the battle.

I came across mention of British gunboats in the Sanduskey River who also bombarded the fort.  However, I have not been able to find out the names of the boats.

They stopped at Whitaker's Wharf, 3 miles downriver from Fort Stephenson and did a lot of damage.  They also destroyed the Whitaker home.

The Battle of Fort Stephenson is the final western battle fought on American soil during the War of 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Stephenson-- Part 1: Built By Mills Stephenson

From Touring Ohio Sites.

Colonel Mills Stephenson sited and built the fort in June 1812 on the western side of the Sanduskey River.  Following the trend of the day, he named the fort after himself.  It was built by Ohio militiamen.

After his great victory at the fort, George Croghan was brevetted to the rank of lieutenant colonel by the president.

In 1835, Congress awarded Croghan the Congressional Gold Medal.

--Brock-Perry

George Croghan-- Part 10: A Followup

In 1851, the mayor of Fremont (as Fort Stephenson was now called) arranged for the return of "Ol' Betsy" from a government armory.  The cannon was placed at the site of Fort Stephenson.

On August 2, 1885, a monument was dedicated at the site of Fort Stephenson.

Every September 2 is celebrated as Croghan Day in Fremont.

On August 2, 1906, the remains of George Croghan were brought from Louisville and interred at the base of the monument.

--Brock-Perry

George Croghan, "Boy Major" of War of 1812-- Part 2: War Service

George Croghan soon saw action and was at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe with General William Harrison fighting Tecumseh and his Indians.  During the War of 1812, he fought with distinction at Fort Meigs, again under command of Gen. William Henry Harrison.

For his defense of Fort Stephenson in Ohio, he was promoted to colonel and later led American troops at the loss of the Battle of Mackinac Island, Michigan Territory.

After the war, he resigned from the Army and became the postmaster in New Orleans.  In 1825 he became one of two inspector generals in the Army and fought at Monterrey as a colonel during the Mexican War.

He is buried at Fort Stephenson, Ohio (now Fremont).  The village of Croghan, New York is named after him, as is the street in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Stephenson, Ohio

From the March 23, 2013, Fremont (Oh) News-Messenger "Fort Stephenson ramps up for events marking War of 1812."

And this is five months before the actual bicentennial of the battle.  This is one of the regions most celebrated battles and the committee to observe it has already held some events.

A speech was given by Donald R. Hicks, a War of 1812 historian who has written seven books and hundreds of articles on the subject.

The fort is long gone, but there is a replica of it and some thought of reconstructing a blockhouse.

The bicentennial commemoration will be August 3-4.

Brock-Perry