Pennsylvania's National Guard Celebrates Its 275th Anniversary December 7

From the December 6, 2022, DVIDS "Top ten moments in Pennsylvania National Guard history" by Brad Rhen.

WAR OF 1812 SERVICE

Of course, they were militia back then.

More than 14,000 Pennsylvanians were drawn into active service during the War of 1812.

During the Battle of Lake Erie, an artillery company provided volunteers to serve as cannoneers on Commodore Perry's fleet.

That unit today is known as Wilkes-Barre's 109th Field Artillery.

--Brock-Perry

Some More About Patrick Gass, Famous Irish Sergeant

From West Virginia Genealogy Trails  "Patrick M. Gass: Journal Writer of the Lewis & Clark Expedition" by Dr. Coues.

Gass was born June 12, 1771, at Falling Springs, Cumberland County, near what was afterwards Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.  When Mr. Jacob wrote about him in 1858, he was a hale and hearty old man, and already long lone survivor of the Lewis & Clark's Expedition.  His vigor and vitality were astonishing; the more so, considering the hardships he had long endured, and his many years of the besetting sin of an old soldier.

In stature he was low, having in his most erect manhood never exceeded five feet seven; he was compactly built, broad-chested and strong-limbed, lean and wiry; only very late in life was he bowed and crippled with rheumatism.

When nearly 99 years old he retained his mental faculties, and had a good, sound memory for the events of nearly a century.

He died April 3d 1870. 

Quite a Life.  --Brock-Perry

Patrick Gass, Member Lewis & Clark Expedition and War of 1812 Veteran-- Part 1

I'd never heard of him before.  Looks like another trip to good ol' Wikipedia.

PATRCK GASS

(June 12, 1771 to April 2, 1870)

Served as a sergeant in the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806).  He was important to the expedition because  of his service as a carpenter and he published the first  journal of the expedition in 1807, seven years before the first publication based on Lewis and Clark's journals.

He was born in Pennsylvania and began his military career in  1792 in a Virginia militia or ranger company stationed in Wheeling (now West Virginia) fighting Indians.  In 1794, he helped build the house of James Buchanan, Sr., near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, and became acquainted with  the young future president of the United States, James Buchanan.

He joined the U.S. Army  in 1803 and served in Kaskaskia, Illinois, near St. Louis.

And, then he entered the history books.

--Brock-Perry

Minding Your 'P's' and 'Q's'-- Part 1: (Admiral Perry?)

Jan. 27, 2021, WBRZ Channel 2 ABC, Pat Shingleton: "P's and Q's "

Near our home in Ellwood City, Pa.,  are roads that  would have been identified as routes of transport during the Revolutionary War.  The roads connected Pittsburgh to Erie where Admiral Perr's Fleet  was located during the War of 1812.  (Well, not actually admiral.)

There are many locations such as Rachael's Road Road House near Grove City that displays a house that George Washington visited.

In those early days, local taverns and public houses or pubs provided lodging, food or drink from inclement weather.  Libations were originally  a convenient means for  combating the winter chill and a "wee-nip" could break the bone-chilling cold.

--Brock-Perry

Col. Samuel Boyer Davis-- Part 2: Built Delamore Place

When Davis helped rescue the family of a French baron from the island of Santo Domingo during a 1792 slave insurrection, he met and fell in love with the baron's daughter Rose and they married.  Later they moved to New Orleans where he became a wealthy landowner.

At the outbreak of the War of 1812, he was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel in the 32nd U.S. Infantry and assigned to the task of defending the entrance to Delaware Bay, which included where he was born, Lewes.

He built an imposing home there he called Delamore Place outside of Wilmington, Delaware.

After the war, he lived in Philadelphia and was a member of the Pennsylvania legislature.

He is buried at the Wilmington & Brandywine Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware.

--Brock-Perry

USS Niagara-- Part 5: Efforts at Restoration

The City of Erie transferred ownership of the vessel to the newly formed USS Niagara Foundation in 1929.  They were set up to restore it and make it the centerpiece of a museum.

However, the Great Depression forced the State of Pennsylvania to take over.  Two years later the state gave $50,000 for another restoration in 1931.  In 1938, the state stopped funding the ship.  It was transferred to the Pennsylvania Historical Commission and it became a WPA project.

The commission contracted Howard I. Chapelle to restore the Niagara and he used plans for period ships built by Noah Brown like the USS Saratoga.

Very little of the original USS Niagara remained by this time.  What hadn't rotted had been sold off as souvenirs.

--Brock-Perry

Francis Rawn Shunk-- Part 2

From Wikipedia.

1788-1848, 10th Governor of Pennsylvania.  He was born into a poor German family family but overcame that.  Served in the Pennsylvania militia during the War of 1812 and took part in the successful defense of Baltimore in 1814.

After the war, he was appointed principal clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  In 1820, he married Jane Findlay, daughter of Pennsylvania Governor James Findlay.  From 1829-1839, he was secretary of the state Canal Commission.

Another source listed him as a private in the Pennsylvania emergency force which hurried to Baltimore to defend that city after the fall of Washington, D.C. and was at the Battle of Baltimore.

--Brock-Perry

Pennsylvania's Governor Francis R. Shunk-- Part 1

From the Sept. 30, 2015, TribLive "Exploring History: Gov. Shunk's passing" by Miles Richard.

As governor, he challenged James Buchanan.  By 1846, he was very popular in western Pennsylvania.

Francis Rawn Shunk was born August 7, 1788, in Pennsylvania.  By 1805 he was a school teacher and a private surveyor.

In May 1812, he was hired as chief assistant to Andrew Porter, Surveyor General of Pennsylvania.  He also studied law at the office of Thomas Elder, a prominent Harrisburg attorney, and was admitted to the bar in 1816.

During the War of 1812, he was a lieutenant in the Pennsylvania militia.  In 1814, he utilized his survey skills in the construction of various American fortifications around the Chesapeake Bay.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Niagara After the War-- Part 4

In 1981, the Flagship Niagara League was formed with the intention of reconstructing the ship, not just as a museum, but also as a working ship.  Melbourne Smith,the builder of the brig Pride of Baltimore, was hired to head the task.

The decay of the Niagara was so bad it was dismantled and ultimately destroyed with some timbers salvaged and used in non-structural areas of the new ship.

The first USS Niagara had been built very hastily, but the new one received seasoned and preserved yellow pine and Douglas fir for its wood.  And, it has new, modern equipment.

The new Niagara was launched 10 September 1988 but was not completed until 18 July 1990.  It has been designated by the state as the official flagship of Pennsylvania.  It is one of only two remaining ships from the War of 1812, the other being the USS Constitution..

--Brock-Perry

The USS Niagara After the War-- Part 3

The Niagara was then transferred to the Pennsylvania Historical Commission and it became a project for the New Deal Works Project Administration.  The commission contacted Howard I. Chapelle to draw up plans for another restoration.  He based them on other period ships that were also built by Noah Brown, like the USS Saratoga.

By this time, very little of the USS Niagara remained, especially after pieces of it had been sold as souvenirs.. In addition, te 1913 restoration was highly inaccurate.

The hull of the Niagara was launched during World War II, in October 1943 and it was placed in a concrete cradle in 1951.

Then, they discovered dry rot on the whole ship, not surprisingly.  It became evident that a complete restoration would be needed.

Funds were raised to make it "presentable" for the Battle of Lake Erie's sesquicentennial in 1963.  Rigging and cannons were added.

It was listed on the NRHP 11 April 1973.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Niagara After the War-- Part 2

It was towed to various Great Lakes ports, including:Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo and Cleveland by the USS Wolverine, the Navy's first iron-hulled warship.

Ownership of the Niagara was transferred to the City of Erie in 1917 and it was docked where it deteriorated.  In 1929, ownership was transferred to the newly-formed USS Niagara Foundation.  They were tasked with restoring the ship so it could be made the centerpiece of a museum.

The Great Depression stopped te work and the state was forced to take over the ship.  The Foundation, however, had managed to raise $50,000 toward the ship and more restoration was done starting in 1931, but it stopped by 1938.

--Brock-Perry

War Hero Commodore Joshua Barney Honored at Alleghenny Cemetery

From the August 4, 2012, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Len Barcousky.

Commodore Joshua Barney of Maryland died and is buried in Pittsburgh in 1818 while en route to his home in Kentucky. In 1848, his remains were moved to the newly opened Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville.

The commemoration was sponsored by the Maryland Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution and the U.S. Daughters of 1812.

Four of Barney's descendants also took part when a 10 X24-inch marker was dedicated.

Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Signs to Be Installed in Erie, Pennsylvania

From the Feb. 17, 2013 Go Erie.com (Erie, Pennsylvania, "Seaway Trail to install War of 1812 signs on bayfront" by Ally Orlando.

Seaway Trail, Inc., VisitErie and the Erie Maritime Museum will install 2 signs in Erie, Pa.'s Bayfront at Dobbins Landing and South Pier at Presque Island State Park.  The one at Dobbins Landing will detail the career of the USS Niagara and its commander Oliver Hazard Perry (the Perry in the blog signoff).

The one at South Pier will detail how the Lake Erie fleet was built and launched.

This is part of a larger project of 19 War of 1812 signs along the 500 mile Seaway Trail which includes the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie.

The new signs measure 40 X 30 inches and are color-coded brown, indicating historical information.

Getting the Word Out, One Sign At a Time.  --Brock-Perry

The War of 1812: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-Style

From the May 6th Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Crosby, Stills and Nash to boost Erie celebration" by Virginia Linn.

After reading this article, it struck me that this venerable old group from the 60s-70s and still together from time to time pretty well sums up the sides during the War of 1812 with Crosby and Stills being from the U.S., Nash from England and Young from Canada.

Anyway, the 18-month-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie has begun.  The previous week there had been cannon-firings and flag-raising.  The big event planned took place June 23rd on Presque Isle Beach where "The Best Summer Night" outdoor concert featuring the Crosby, Stills and Nash version of the band took place to raise money to upgrade the  Perry Monument at Misery Bay.  Concert organizers hope to replace the pavilion and install 30 picnic tables.  Tickets are $100 apiece.

The 3,200-acre Presque Isle Park is the most-visited state park in Pennsylvania.  Four million a year visit, including many from Pittsburgh.

On September 10, 1813, nine small U..S, ships, six of which were built at Erie including the brig Niagara met the British fleet near Put-In-Bay.  Perry was on his flagship, the USS Lawrence which was destroyed and transferred to the Niagara.

The British surrendered after 15 minutes.

The reconstructed Niagara is on display at the Erie Maritime Museum when it is not cruising the Great Lakes.

Four Dead in Ohio.  --Brock-Perry