Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, NY-- Part 1: President Millard Fillmore

I have been doing a lot of writing about War of 1812 soldier and West Point graduate Alexander John Williams who is buried here.  Whenever I have a place of burial, I like to go to the cemetery and look at the names of other people buried there.

And, Forest Lawn cemetery has a lot of interesting burials.

From Wikipedia.

Red Jacket--  Seneca Indian Chief who sided with U.S, during the War of 1812.

Millard Fillmore--  13th President of the United States

Willis Carrier--  inventor of modern air conditioning

Shirley Chisholm--  politician and first black woman elected to U.S. Congress

Frederick Cook--  American explorer.  Said he reached North Pole first.

More To Come.  --Brock-Perry

Alexander John Williams-- Part 7: USMA Facing Problems in 1811?

From Fred Rickey  Alexander  John Williams.

Son of Johnathan Williams, first Superintendent of USMA.  Brother of Henry J. Williams, who also attended West Point..

From Denton, 1964:  Eustice (Eustis) had been obstructing the Academy.   William Eustis was Secretary of War under Madison.  "Hence, by the end of 1811, there were only six cadets left at West Point, and no instruction was being given."

Jonathan Williams took his son Alexander  out of the Academy and sent him to Dartmouth while the Academy was dormant.

Fred Rickey believes this might not have been Alexander who was removed by his father, but his brother Henry.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander J. Williams-- Part 4: Father Was First Army Chief of Engineers, Jonathan Williams

Captain Alexander Williams was the oldest son of Colonel Johnathan Williams, the first Chief of Engineers on the U.S. Army.  He was born October 10, 1790, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Entered the Military Academy as a Cadet, July 9, 1806, and was graduated from that institution, and promoted March 1, 1811, to 2nd Lieut. of Engineers.

He continued at duty at West Point until 1812, when he was ordered to superintend the construction of Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and was promoted to 1st Lieut. July 1, 1812.

Believing that he would see more active service and be more rapidly advanced in rank in the Artillery during the now-declared war with Great Britain, he  asked for a transfer to that Corps, in which he was commissioned a Captain, March 17, 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander J. Williams-- Part 3: On Niagara Frontier and Killed At Fort Erie

Served at West Point, 1811-1812.

In the War of 11812, served 1812 to 1814.   1st Lt. Corps of Engineers, July 1, 1812., Captain , 2nd Artillery, March 17, 1813.

In command at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, 1812-1814.

Campaign of 1814 in the Niagara Frontier (Command of three 18-pounder guns at Lundy's Lane.)

Engaged in defense of Fort Erie, Upper Canada.  Where, in hand-to-hand encounter, while repulsing the enemy's fourth desperate assault upon the bastion of the work, he was killed , August 15,  1814, aged 24.

He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander J. Williams-- Part 2: First In Class of 1811

From For What They Gave On Saturday Afternoon.

Captain, 2nd Artillery, killed while being engaged in the Defense of Fort Erie, Upper Canada, where, in hand-to-hand encounter, while repulsing the enemy's fourth desperate attack upon the bastion of the work.

Born in Pennsylvania.  Appointed to USMA from Pennsylvania.

Alexander John Williams:  Born October 10, 1790, Philadelphia, PA.

Cadet of Military Academy May 5, 1805, to March 1, 1811, when he graduated First in his Class, and was promoted in the Army to Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, March 1, 1811.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander J. Williams-- Part 1: USMA Class if 1811, Killed in War of 1812

From Civil War In the East,   West Point Officers in the Civil War.

Rank of captain.

Killed in 1814 at the defense of Fort Erie, Upper Canada.

--Brock-Perry

Battery Hobart-- Part 3: An Endicott Period Fortification

From Fort Wiki.

Battery Hobart  (1900-1913).  Battery Hobart was a concrete reinforced, Endicott Period  6 inch  coastal gun battery on Fort Williams, Cumberland County, Maine.  It was named in G.O.78, 25 May 1903, after 1st Lt.  Henry A. Hobart (the 56th cadet to graduate West Point, U.S. Light Artillery, who was killed 27 May 1813, at Fort George, Upper Canada.

Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1898 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 6 January 1900 at a cost of $6,545.33.

Deactivated  in 1913.

More.  --Brock-Perry

Battery Hobart-- Part 2: Gun Sent to Pearl Harbor

Battery Hobart was no longer needed after the construction of Battery Keyes in 1905  which mounted more modern American-made guns.

When the U.S. Army afterwards determined that the defenses in the Pacific Ocean needed more guns, Battery Hobart's gun was removed in the summer of 1913 and sent to  protect the Navy and Army facilities at Pearl Harbor during World War I.

The battery's magazine continued to be used for the storage of ordnance supplies for Fort Williams until 1929.

--Brock-Perry

Battery Hobart-- Part 1: Fort Williams, Maine

In the last post I mentioned that I couldn't find anything else on Henry A. Hobart, but came across this on a battery named for him in Maine.

From the Maine Attraction.

Visited the battery and took a picture of it.  Located in Fort Williams, Maine.

Battery Hobart was built in 1898 and named after Lt. Henry A. Hobart,  one of Maine's first graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, who was killed in action during the War of 1812.  The battery mounted one six-inch Armstrong gun whose function was  to help protect the mine field laid in the main channel in time of war from hostile minesweepers.

Battery Hobart was manned during the Spanish-American War.

I was unable to find a photo of what the gun looked like at Battery Hobart, but the Fort De Soto Park Six-inch Armstrongs has a picture.

--Brock-Perry

Henry A. Hobart, USMA Class 1811, Killed At Capture of Fort George in 1813

From For What They Gave On Saturday Afternoon.

Born Maine.  Appointed from Maine.

Cadet of the Military Academy, Jan. 20, 1808, to March 1, 1811, when he was graduated and promoted to Second Lieut. , Light Artillery, March 1, 1811.

Served:    In garrison at Atlantic ports, 1811-1812; and in War (First Lieut., Light Artillery, Aug. 15, 1811) of 1812-1815 with Great Britain, being engaged in the capture of York (now Toronto), Upper Canada, April 23, 1813, and capture of Fort George, Upper Canada May 27, 1813, where he was killed while valiantly leading his company to attack.

Age 22.

I am unable to find out anything else on him.

--Brock-Perry

Small World: Henry Burchstead, Tulsa and Route 66

Yesterday I wrote about the possibility that Lt. Henry A. Burchstead died at the Battle of Autossee in 1813 in Alabama.  This took place by the Creek Indian towns of Autosee and Tallasee.

Early this morning, I was looking at the Oklahoma Route 66 Organization's 2011-2012 Trip Guide and was at Tulsa and I read an interesting thing.

Tulsa began as a Creek Indian settlement.  The name was taken from an old Creek settlement in Alabama named Tallasee.  The one in what is today Oklahoma, which was Indian Territory back then and where the Creeks were forcibly moved was called Tulsey-Town, a political subdivision of the Creek nation.

Hence the name Tulsa.

And, since I'm much into Route 66 as well, Tulsa is a major city on that fabled highway.

Like I Said, Small World.  --Brock-Perry

Henry A. Burchstead May Have Died At the Battle of Autossee

From Wikipedia.

I am unable to find out any more about this man.  But, noting when he died, on November 30, 1813, this was just one day after the Battle of Autossee during the Creek War.  It took place by the Creek towns of Autossee and Tallasee near present-day Shorter, Alabama.

General John G. Floyd and 900 to 950 militia men and 450 allied Creeks attacked the villages and killed 200 Red Stick Creeks.

American casualties were 6-11 killed during the battle and 5 wounded.  Another 5 were killed in the ambush after the battle.

--Brock-Perry

Henry A Burchstead, Class of 1811, Killed in Creek Campaign

From "For What They Gave On Saturday Afternoon."

HENRY A. BURCHSTEAD

Born New York.  Appointed USMA from New York.

Cadet of Military Academy, Feb. 16, 1809, to Mar. 1, 1811, when he graduated and was promoted to the Army as Ensign, 2nd Infantry, Mar. 1, 1811.

Served:  on the Northwestern Frontier, 1811; in General Harrison's (2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry, March 13, 1811) Campaign of 1811 in Indiana Territory, being engaged in the Battle of Tippecanoe, Nov. 7, 1811, where he was wounded; on frontier duty in the Gulf States, 1811-1812;  and in the War of 1812-1815 with Great Britain, (First Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry, May 5, 1813) being engaged in the Campaign of 1813 against the Creek Indians, in which he was killed, November 30, 1813, on the Alabama River.

--Brock-Perry

1st Lt. Vincent Marie Boisaubin-- Part 2: Gravestone Etched in French

Two graveyards on the American side of the Niagara River have some interesting grave markers.

In the military graveyard at Fort Niagara which has an eventful history, having at times been in the hands of the French, British, Indians and Americans there is a singular  trace of the American occupation if Fort George in 1813.

A young Frenchman, perhaps a son of those of that nationality helped the 13 Colonies to gain their independence is buried there.  His gravestone is written entirely in French.

Translation:  Here lies Boisaubin Marie Vincent, Lieutenant and Adjutant in the light artillery regiment  of US, who died at Fort George August 13, 1813, at age 22 years, faithful friend, tender and  sincere son..."

I haven't been able to find any further information on him.

--Brock-Perry

1st Lt. Vincent Marie Boisaubin-- Part 1: Graduated West Point Class of 1811

From Find-A-Grave.

Born 1791 in Guadalupe.  Died 10 August 1813 Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Burial Old Fort Niagara Cemetery, Niagara Falls, New York.

From Heitman's Register and Dictionary of the U.S. Army:

Boisaubin, Marie V.  Mo. NJ, Cadet Military Academy  14 April 1809, two years.  .  1st Lt. Light Artillery 1 March 1811.

Died 10 August  1813.

From U.S. School Catalogs 1811:

Marie V. Boisaubin.  Died August 10, 1813, at Fort George, Upper Canada.

--Brock-Perry

West Point Class of 1811: Five Died in the War of 1812

From the Civil War in the East site.

Four other members of the West Point Class of 1811 besides George Ronan were killed during the War of 1812.

Marie V. Boisaubin   First Lt.  Died in 1813 in the capture of Fort George, Upper Canada.

Henry Burchstead   First Lt.     Killed 1813 in Alabama in Creek Indian campaign.

Henry A. Hobart   First Lt.  Killed 1813, Capture of Fort George, Upper Canada.

Alexander J. Williams    Captain     Killed 1814 in defense of Fort Erie, Upper Canada

George Ronan   Ensign    Killed 1812 in Fort Dearborn massacre.  First West Point graduate to be killed in action.

--Brock-Perry

West Point Class of 1811 Members Who Served in the Civil War

From the Civil War in the East site.

Hard to believe, but two members of George Ronan's West Point Class of 1811 were still serving in the U.S. Army at the time of the Civil War.

They were John James Abert who headed the Corps of Topographical Engineers for 32 years and Gustavus Loomis who is considered the oldest soldier to serve in the Civil War.

I will definitely be writing about these two men in my Saw the Elephant:  Civil War blog.

--Brock-Perry

George Ronan-- Part 15: "At Least He Dies Like A Soldier"

Evidently, there was another soldier with the Americans who was afraid to die and the author of "The Chicago Massacre of 1812" related this story.

"Oh, I cannot die!" exclaimed he.  "O am not fit to die -- if I had but a short time to prepare -- death is awful."

I pointed to Ensign Ronan, who, though mortally wounded and nearly down, was still fighting with desperation on one knee.

"Look at this man," said I; "at least he dies like a soldier."

--Brock-Perry

George Ronan-- Part 14: Perhaps This Clarifies What Ronan Said To His Commanding Officer

From  the Together We Served site.  All of these entries of late have been coming from this site

From the book "The Chicago Massacre."

I well remember a remark made by Ensign Ronan as the attack began, he turned to me and said:  "Such is to be our fate -- to be shot down like Beasts.

The commanding officer, Captain Nathan Heald overheard him say this  and said, "Well, sir, are you afraid?"

"No," replied the high-spirited young man, "I can march up to the enemy where you dare not show your face!"

And, his subsequent brave behavior showed this to be no idle boast.

So, That Must Have Been The Insult.  --Brock-Perry

George Ronan-- Part 13: Chicago's Ronan Park

The park district  soon signed a lease for 7.5 acres of water district land, and by the mid-1960s, playgrounds and green spaces lined both shores of the North Shore Channel.  In the 1990s the park district began leasing additional water district land, bringing the park's total acreage to nearly 13 acres.

The entire park was  rehabilitated and a bike path added as a larger plan to create a recreational corridor along the river.

The park is located at  3000 Argyle Street in Chicago, Illinois.

--Brock-Perry