Battle of Longwoods Re-enactment-- Part 2

The weekend will include:

**  Tactical and artillery demonstrations, including a afternoon battle.

**  Period music.

**  A military medicine presentation, demonstrating procedures available in 1812.

**  Tours of a historical military encampment.

**  Mini militia offering children a taste of life as a 19th-century soldier, including simple arms drill and marching.

**  Children's games and rope making.

**  Merchants and artisans selling items.

**  Self-guided tours of Ska-Nah-Doht Village and conservation area nature trails.

**  Food for sale by local service club members.

--Brock-Perry

Betsy Doyle and the Battle of Fort Niagara-- Part 5: A 12-Hour Bombardment.

About an hour before sunrise, the British cannons at Fort George opened fire on Fort Niagara.    For the next twelve hours, the American and British artillery exchanged a cannonade  that was heard along the entire length of the Niagara River.

During this exchange, Betsy Doyle carried red-hot cannonballs from a fire to the six pound cannon mounted on top of the mess hall.  That hot-shot" was intended to set fire to British buildings and battlements.

But loading hot-shot was difficult and dangerous.  The hot iron  could cause gunpowder to explode prematurely in the cannon, wounding or killing anyone standing nearby.

--Brock-Perry

Betsy Doyle and the Battle of Fort Niagara-- Part 4: 'An Instance of Extraordinary Bravery'

From the National Park Service "Autumn 1812:  Betsy Doyle helps operate a cannon to defend Fort Niagara."

While British cannonballs crashed around her, Betsy Doyle carried red-hot iron shot to the American cannons atop Fort Niagara.  With her husband a prisoner of the British, Betsy was left alone to fight for survival on the frontier, going above and beyon the call of duty.

"An instance of extraordinary  bravery"--  Lieutenant Colonel  George McFeeley.

In the early  dawn of November 21, 1812, Betsy Doyle looked out from Fort Niagara across the Niagara River to British Fort George, waiting for the first shots to be fired.  With ammunition for only a 12-hour bombardment, the American artillery was ordered to hold fire  unless fired upon by the British.

Betsy stood alongside soldiers of the First Regiment of United States Artillery, with whom her husband had served before his capture at  the Battle of Queenston Heights just one month earlier.  While Andrew Doyle remained imprisoned, Betsy continued to live and work at Fort Niagara with her children.

--Brock-Perry

Betsy Doyle, American Heroine-- Part 2

From the  Nov. 12, 2012, Clements Library Chronicles "Today in History:  Heroine of Fort Niagara" by Brian Dunnigan.

Two hundred years ago, Betsy Doyle, wife of a U.S. artilleryman at Fort Niagara, New York, stood by the soldiers stationed at a gun platform during a ferocious exchange of cannon fire with the British-held Fort George across the Niagara River.

Betsy, whose name is often incorrectly given as "Fanny,"  was the wife of artilleryman Andrew Doyle.  As such, she was one of the many married women who accompanied their husbands into the field with both the British and American armies.

Doyle, however, was not present to see his wife's heroism; he had fought at the Battle of Queenston Heights on October 13, where he was taken prisoner.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Encampment at Old Fort Niagara-- Part 2: Schedule of Events

Scheduled demonstrations:

**  Infantry drills and firing at 10:30 daily

**  Artillery firing at 11 daily

**  Uniforms of the War of 1812 at 11:30 daily

**  Musket firing at noon, 1, , 2, 3 and 5 p.m. Saturday and noon, 1, 2, 4 and 5 p.m. Sunday

**  Regency women's fashions at 12:30 daily

**  "Hot Shot" artillery firing at 1:30 daily

**  Firepower weapon's program at 3:30 Saturday and 2:30 Sunday

There will also be a tour of  Fort Niagara in the War of 1812 at 3:15 p.m. Sunday.

Sounds Like a Great Time.  --Brock-Perry

Anne-Louis Toussard-- Part 4

After being named  inspector of U.S. artillery in 1800, Toussard became commander of the  Second Artillery Regiment in January 1801.

Incredibly, when West Point was finished on  1802, President Thomas Jefferson passed over Toussard for its first superintendent because he was French.

Toussard resigned his commission in  March 1802, and returned to France and rejoining the French Army as a battalion commander in GeneralVictor Leclerc's failed attempt to conquer Haiti.

He served as French consul in the United States from 1805-1816.

In 1816, he returned to France where he died in Paris 10 April 1817.

--Brock-Perry

Anne Louis Toussard-- Part 3: Impact on American Artillery, Forts, West Point and DuPont Gunpowder

Again, I have seen Toussard's name spelled with just one "s" and also with two of them.  I am using the double "s" spelling.

In April 1795, President Washington appointed Toussard  a major in the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers, beginning a period during which he had  enormous influence on the American military.  After supervising the construction of several significant fortifications, he restructured the U.S. artillery service on the French model, bringing uniformity to its use of cannons.

In 1798, he laid out the plans for what would become the  Military Academy at West Point.

Also, his "American Artillerists Companion" (1809) became the standard text for artillery instruction.  Along the way,  he aided Eleuthere Irenee du Pont in establishing gunpowder  mills in Delaware, which would prove vital to American interests.

Again, I don't know how I never came across his name before his letter about the Hurricane of 1812.  

An Important Person in American History.  Sadly, One Who Is Not Known. --Brock-Perry

Lt. Col. Anne-Louis de Toussard-- Part 3: A Major Force in Creation of the USMA

In 1798 he proposed the idea of a national military school, with a comprehensive curriculum, to  Secretary of War James McHenry.  He helped convert the West Point garrison into that academy in 1800.  He then began instruction to the first twelve cadets in the first Class at the academy on 1800.

His regiment was disbanded in 1802 and he returned to France via Santo Domingo in 1802.  French Vice-Consul in Philadelphia in 1805.  Served as the French Consul ad interim in New Orleans  1811-1816 (when he wrote the letter about the Hurricane of 1812).  Supported the work of General Jackson during the War of 1812.

Returned to Paris in 1816.  Made a Knight of the Royal Military Order of St. Louis in 1799  Wrote "American Artillerists Companion" in 1809.  Married  Maria Francisca Joubert in 1788 and then Anna Maria Geddes in 1795.

A grandson of his, Lt. -Col.  Anthony Eugene Stocker MD (1819-1897), a grandson, succeeded him in the Society of the Cincinnati, being admitted as a Heriditary Member in 1888.  He was a medical doctor during the Civil War, most of the time in a position of leadership in the medical corps.

--Brock-Perry

Lieutenant Colonel Anne-Louis de Toussard-- Part 2: A Man of Much History

Lt. Colonel in the Continental Army in the American Revolution.

Born 13 March 1749 in Saint Eustache, Paris, France, and died  4 or 8 May 1817, in Paris, France.

Studied at the artillery school of La Pere.  Graduate of the Artillery School in Strasbourg, France, in 1769.  Commissioned a second lieutenant in the French Royal Artillery  Corps in 1769.  Resigned to join the American Revolution.

After that, he returned to France in 1784.  Imprisoned as a Royalist 1792-1793.  Lt. Colonel in the Regiment  du Cap in Santo Domingo in 1794 where he led his regiment to suppress the slave  uprising that became the Haitian Revolution. Imprisoned by Haitian forces in 1794.

Escaped to America and emigrated to Philadelphia.  Commissioned a Major of the 2nd Artillery in the U.S. Army and then promoted to Lt. Colonel.

Helped plan and supervise the construction of Fort Mifflin,  Pennsylvania.

This Guy Sure Saw a Lot of History.  --Brock-Perry

Old Fort Niagara to Host Encampment-- Part 2:A Full Lineup of Activities

In addition to Richard V. Barbuto's talk on the turning point of the War of 1812 in September 1814,there will also be a variety of living history activities.  re-enactors will establish period camps and  demonstrate what life was like for common soldiers during the War of 1812.  In other words, no RVs or Glamping.

Throughout the day, troops will perform musket demonstrations, volley firing, artillery firing and other tactical exercises.  Other programs feature period cooking, laundry, blacksmithing, children's games and Native Americans in the War if 1812.

Scheduled programs are:

10:30 am, infantry drill and firing

On the hour and at 3:45 pm, musket firing demonstrations

11:30 am, uniforms of the War of 1812

12:30 pm, regency women's fashions

1:30 pm, "Hot Shot" artillery demonstration 

2:30 pm, firepower weapons program

3:30 pm, Tour:  Fort Niagara in the War of 1812

Activities run from 10 am to 4 pm.  This program is sponsored by the United States Daughters of 1812.

Old Fort Niagara is currently open daily from  10 am to 4 pm.  It is a Registered National Historic Landmark and a New York State Historic Site operated by the Old Fort Niagara  Association.

--Brock-Perry

Patrick Gass and War of 1812-- Part 2: The Battle of Lundy's Lane

This was the first actual army on army action that Patrick Gass participated in.

He was a sergeant and qualified  in artillery, being used to firing 6 and 12 pound guns that could easily outdistance the British guns.

As the battle wore on, Sergeant Gass was one of 300 men  who charged and captured a British company after fierce hand-to-hand fighting all night.

Gass was wounded in the fighting and lost the sight in his right eye as a result.

Later that year, he rejoined the Army  and fought around Pittsburgh and Niagara to fight against any British attempt to invade from Canada.

Sergeant Gass was  discharged in the spring of 1815 in Sackets Harbor, New York.

--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

Col. James Gibson-- Part 4: Military Career

From the "For What They Gave  On Saturday Afternoon" blog site  "James Gibson."

Cadet of the Military Academy , Oct. 20, 1806, to Dec. 12, 1808, when he graduated and was promoted to First Lieut. Light Artillery, Dec. 12, 1808.

Served in garrisons at Atlantic posts and on the Southwest Frontier, 1808-1812; Captain Light Artillery, May 2, 1810.

War of 1812 on the Niagara Frontier in 1812 and participated in the attack on Queenstown Heights, Upper Canada, October 12, 1812.

Major, staff, Asst. Inspector General, April 2, 1813.    Colonel, staff Inspector General  July 13, 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Col. William Dudley-- Part 2: Initial Success

General William Henry Harrison, at Fort Meigs, sent a courier to Gen. Green Clay ordering him to take the offensive against the British battery on the other side of the of the Maumee River to drive them away and spike their cannons.  General Clay ordered Col. Dudley to take 800 men and accomplish this task.

On the morning of May 5, Dudley made his assault on the battery and succeeded in capturing it.  After this initial success, things quickly fell apart.  The soldiers with the tools to spike the guns accidentally landed on the other side of the river..  Dudley's men, however, did have some success spiking them with bayonets and ramrods.

Then, the Kentuckians came under fire by Indians in the woods.  Determined to avenge their fellow soldiers who had been slaughtered at the River Raisin Massacre the previous year, they charged into the woods against their officers' orders.

--Brick-Perry

The Baltimore Fencibles-- Part 1: The Only Non-Regular Unit in Fort McHenry

From Fort McHenry Guard.

The Baltimore Fencibles were a volunteer artillery company recruited from private citizens of Baltimore in 1813.  The word fencibles was used by many units in the era to represent local defenders, or the Home Guard.

The Fencibles, led by Captain Joseph Hopper Nicholson, were Federalized militia who were invited to serve with Captain Evans' Regular Corps of Artillery within the walls of Fort McHenry due to the large number of regular artillery who were ill or unfit for duty.

The Fencibles were the only  non-regulars to serve within the walls of the star-shaped fort.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Eustis-- Part 4: Artillery Training in WW I

During World War I, Camp Abraham Eustis was established after the military bought the island and surrounding land for $538,000, displacing about 200 locals.  Camp Eustis was established as a coast artillery replacement center for Fort Monroe.

It also was a balloon observation school.  The camp was named for General Abraham Eustis, War of 1812 veteran and first commander of Fort Monroe.

Camp Wallace was established a few miles upstream in 1918 and became the Upper Firing Range for artillery training.  It eventually had 30 barracks, 6 storehouses and 8 mess halls on 160 acres.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Eustis' 100th Anniversary-- Part 2: Trained Artillery Men During Both World Wars

Fort Eustis was named for Brevet Brigadier General Abraham Eustis, a veteran of the War of 1812.  The fort was established to train artillerymen during World War I.  Some 20,000 trained there with some winding up in balloons and airplanes acting as artillery spotters.

The fort served the same role during World War II.

Today, it is the home of the Army Transportation Corps.  It became this after World War II.

--Brock-Perry