Sylvanue Thayer, Father of West Point"-- Part 6: Long and Distinguished Career

From 1814-1815, Sylvanue Thayer was on professional duty to Europe, examining fortifications, military schools and the establishment and operation of the Allied armies then occupying France after the fall of Napoleon.

He was the superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, from July 28, 1817 to July 1, 1833.

From 1833 to 1843, he was Superintendent of Engineers during the construction of Forts Warren and Independence in Boston Harbor.

On professional duty to Europe in 1846 and general supervisor for harbor improvements in Maine and Massachusetts 1836-1843.

He was on sick leave of absence from 1858-1963.

--Brock-Perry

Sylvanus Thayer, Father of West Point-- Part 5: War of 1812 Service

During the War of 1812, he was Chief Engineer of the Northern Army under command of Major General Dearborn in the campaign of 1812.

Then of the Right Division of the Northern Army under Major General Hampton, to whom he was Aide-de-Camp in the Campaign of 1813.

He fought in the Battle of Chateauguay River October 26, 1813, under the command of Brevet Brigadier General Porter in the Defense of Norfolk, Virginia, in 1814.

--Brock-Perry

Sylvanus Thayer, Father of West Point-- Part 4: Ranks

From Cullom's register of USMA.

Ranks held by Sylvanus Thayer

2nd Lt.  Corps of Engineers  Feb. 23, 1808  Upon graduation from USMA
1st Lt., Corps of Engineers--  July 1, 1812

Captain--  Staff Department Commissary of Ordnance--  Sept. 22, 1812
Capt., Corps of Engineers--  Oct. 13, 1813

Brevet Major--  Feb. 20, 1815 for Distinctive and meritorious service
Brevet Lt.-Col.--  March 3, 1823

Major, Corps of Engineers--  May 24, 1824
Brevet Col.--  March 3, 1833

Lt.-Col., Corps of Engineers--  July 7, 1838
Col., Corps of Engineers--  March 3, 1863

Brevet Brig. Gen.--  May 31, 1863
Retired from active service June 1, 1863

Served for more than 45 years.

Died September 7, 1872 at Braintree, Massachusetts.  Buried at West Point.

--Brock-Perry

Sylvanus Thayer-- Part 3: Cullom's Register

From Cullom's Register.

Sylvanus Thayer was the 33rd graduate of the USMA at West Point.  Class of 1808.

1808-1809:  Surveyed sites and plans for batteries to defend New Haven and Stonington harbors in Connecticut.
Inspected Fort Trumbull, Ct.  As Asst. Engineer worked on construction of Massachusetts defenses (Fort Warren).

1809-1811:  At USMA, West Point.

1811-1812: Asst. Engineer N.Y. harbor defenses.

Sylvanus Thayer-- Part 2: His Years At the USMA

In 1817, President Madison appointed him superintendent of West Point after the resignation of Captain Albert Partridge.  He held that position until 1833 while establishing numerous traditions and policies that continue in use to today.

He stressed honor, responsibility, strict mental and physical discipline and the demerit system.  (I used the demerit point system when I was teaching.)  Many of the cadets attending West Point during his tenure went on to important positions in the Mexican War and Civil War.

He resigned in 1833 after a disagreement with President Jackson.

--Brock-Perry

Sylvanus Thayer-- Part 1: "The Father of West Point"

From Wikipedia.

June 9, 1785-September 7, 1872

Known as "The Father of West Point" for his work at the military academy in its early years.

Born in Braintree, Massachusetts.  Graduated from Dartmouth College in 1807 and then went to West Point and graduated with the Class of 1808, after just one year.  He superintended the construction of Fort Warren (later renamed Fort Winthrop) in Boston Harbor.

During the War of 1812 he directed the defense of Norfolk, Virginia and was promoted to major.  In 1815, he went to France to study their military and engineering.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Nelson-- Part 3: Built, Rebuilt and Torn Down

Built by Benedict Arnold for a 150-man garrison.  Some entrenchments built in 1774.  In 1779 it was nearly surrounded both land and sea by British forces and evacuated.  The British destroyed it.

When the First System Fort was built, it was named for Virginia Governor Thomas Nelson and built in 1794 and rebuilt in 1804.

Rebuilt as a Second System Fort in 1808 and mounted 37 guns.  Its garrison was moved to Fort Monroe in 1823 and the fort torn down to make way for the Naval Hospital.  Some of Fort Nelson's bricks were reused in the construction of the hospital.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Norfolk, Virginia-- Part 2: Occupied By Confederates and Federals During Civil War

The United States Navy acquired the fort in 1849 and used it as a weapons depot.  Confederates occupied it 1861-1862 and then the Union reoccupied it for the remainder of the war.

In 1921, the Army Corps of Engineers moved in and in 1983 moved out after building the large Waterford Building.

It is still owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, but run by the Norfolk Historical Society.  Fort Norfolk is the last surviving harbor fort authorized by George Washington in 1794.

The Friends of Fort Norfolk and 2nd Virginia Regiment provide free admission to the fort and guided tours on the weekends.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Norfolk, Virginia-- Part 1: First and Second System Fort

From the History of Fort Norfolk.

In the last posts, I wrote about Fort Nelson, built to defend Norfolk, Virginia.  It was built opposite Fort Norfolk.  Some more on that fort.

There was an earlier fortification at the site dating 1776-1779.  It was a First System Fort built 1794, mainly an earthwork.  It was later rebuilt into a masonry fort of the second System in 1808 and designed for 30 guns, but only ten were ever mounted.

It never saw action in the War of 1812 because the British were repulsed by the fort on Craney Island.

--Brock-Perry

Captain Ethan Alphonso Allen

Find-a-Grave.

Born October 24, 1789 in Burlington, Vermont.  Died Jan. 6, 1855.

Buried Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia, plot IMP-B6 9-L12-S16.

Son of Ethan Allen of Revolutionary fame.

Fort Nelson-- Part 2: Two Locations

From Fort Wiki.

Fort nelson was attacked and burned down 9 May 1779 and rebuilt at another location in 1794 and abandoned in 1824.

The garrison abandoned it in the 1779 attack.

The second site of Fort Nelson was chosen opposite of Fort Norfolk on the west side of Norfolk  harbor and was a bastioned earthwork with two batteries of 24-pdrs in embrasures.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Nelson, Norfolk, Virginia-- Part 1

From the Colonial America.com site.

In the last post I mentioned that Captain Hannibal Montresor Allen was buried at Fort Nelson with its cemetery unknown.  Couldn't remember it, so had to look it up.

It was located on the site of the present-day Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia.  During Virginia's revolution, the government constructed a fort of timber and rammed earth in 1776.  Three years later, the British fleet under Admiral Sir George Collier came and confiscated the artillery and destroyed most of the parapet.

The fort was reconstructed in 1799 of earth lined with with brick following a design by architect B. Henry Latrobe and was again abandoned after the War of 1812.

The Confederates strengthened Fort Nelson during the Civil War, but on 10 May 1862, the Union Army under General John E. Wool occupied Norfolk and Fort Nelson.

--Brock-Perry

Captain Hannibal Montesor Allen

From Find-a-Grave.

Born Novemebr 24, 1787, in Burlington Vermont.  Died January 20, 1813.

Died of yellow fever and buried at Fort Nelson.  Cemetery unknown.

Son of Ethan Allen of Revolutionary War fame.

--Brock-Perry

Grave of Hiram Simpson Marked-- Part 2: Saw Action art Fort Erie

Derrick Monument Co. of LeRoy and Ideal Burial Vault Co. of Corfu installed both stones.

Records show Hiram Simpson continually moving west from the time he was born near Glen Falls and then spent his childhood in Scipio, and then moved to Troupburg where he joined the New York militia.

He returned there after seeing action at Fort Erie, Ontario.  Later, he and Nancy and their seven children lived in East Pembroke.

Despite land grants in Iowa and Arkansas available to him, Hiram stayed in East Pembroke and died in 1867.  Wife Nancy died in 1881, a year after receiving the last allotment from the war's pension fund for widows.

--Brock-Perry

Grave of Hiram Simpson Marked-- Part 1

From the October 9, 2017, Genesee County (NY) Daily News "Group honors War of 1812 veteran with new marker in East Pembroke" Jim Krenick.

Christine Holley was working on her Daughters of the American Revolution credentials and while doing so, found the name Hiram Simpson.

He married his wife Nancy in June 1812, but no one knew where he was buried, but some graves at the back of Hillside Cemetery were relocated to another cemetery.  The VA responded to a request by Holley and the National Society of the United States Daughters of the War of 1812 Niagara chapter.  The VA gave a new headstone.

--Brock-Perry

Another Veteran's Grave Marked: William Hamilton

From the Nov. 7, 2017, Hot Springs (Arkansas) Village Voice.

The Texas and Arkansas Societies of the United States Daughters of the War of 1812 marked the grave of William Hamilton at Old Baptist Cemetery in Russellville, Arkansas.

This was the group's second grave marking in one week and they have another marking planned for within three weeks.

Much work has to be done when they mark a grave.  They must prove service, locate the grave, obtain approval, obtain a grave stone if needed as well as planning and coordinating the ceremony.

The U.S. Daughters of the War of 1812 have identified approximately 760 War of 1812 veterans buried in Arkansas and have marked the graves of about 160 of them.  Their goal is to mark all the remaining 600.

Great Job ladies.  --Brock-Perry

The Marines in the War of 1812-- Part 2: Frigate Action

Marine detachments took place in the great frigate fights which resulted in many American victories.  They acquired the reputation as marksmen in ship-to-ship actions.

On 27 April 1813, they assisted the U.S. Army in Colonel Winfield Scott's attack on York, Upper Canada (now Toronto).

Under Navy Commodore Joshua Barney and Captain Samuel Miller, they helped delay the British advance on Washington, D.C., at the Battle of Bladensburg by holding the line after the Army and militia retreated, though they were eventually overcome.  Tradition hold s it that the British did not destroy the Marine Barracks and Commandant's house when they burned Washington out of respect for their fight at Bladensburg, though it is thought that they might have been intending to use them as headquarters.

There is also an unfounded tale that two Marine NCOs buried treasure there to prevent its capture.

At the Battle of New Orleans they held the center of Andrew Jackson's defensive line.

During the war, the Marines had 46 killed and 66 wounded.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Bond County, Illinois

 Good day to visit these men if you're living around Bond County, Illinois.

BONHAM HARLAN--  Born 1785 in Lincoln County, Kentucky.  Died 1840.  Buried in Camp Ground Cemetery in Greenville.  2nd W. Tennessee  Militia.  (I had to look up Lincoln County and found it was named after Revolutionary War General Benjamin Lincoln, not the later president.  Abraham Lincoln was not born in 1785.)

NICHOLAS KOONCE--  Born Dec. 25, 1788.  Died April 26, 1859.  Buried Old City Cemetery in Greenville.  Private Va. Militiamen.

ARCHIBALD MITCHELL--  Born May 22, 1791 in Woodford County, Kentucky.  Died Feb. 10, 1872, in Bond County.  Buried at Union Grove Cemetery in Ayers.

JOHN REEVES--  Born May 13, 1795.  Died Nov. 21, 1877 in Bond County.  Buried Maxey Cemetery in Greenville.

JEREMIAH STUBBLEFIELD--  Born 1789 in Jackson County, Georgia  Died in Bond County August 20, 1874.  Buried Maxey Cemetery in Greenville.  W Tennessee Militia.

Quite a few Southerners moving to Bond County at some point after the war.

Veterans Day 2017.  --Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Bond County, Illinois-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Bond County is in the southern Part of Illinois, near St. Louis.

This being Veterans Day, those of you living in the area can visit these graves and pay your respects to our War of 1812 veterans.

AMOS P. BALCH--  Born 1774 in North Carolina  Died August 27, 1846.  Buried Union Grove Cemetery in Ayers, Illinois

WELSHIER BUCHANAN--  Born July 14, 1781 in Virginia.  Died Feb. 3, 1857.  Buried Camp Ground Cemetery in Greenville.  7th Kentucky Militia.

JOHN ELZIER--  Born 1790  Died March 8, 1859.  Buried Old City Cemetery in Greenville.  Private 21st Va. Militia.

JOHN WESLEY FLOYD--  Born Feb. 18, 1789 in Louisville, Ky.  Died Jan. 4, 1848.  Buried Camp Ground Cemetery in Greenville.  Sergeant in the war.

--Brock-Perry

The Marines in the War of 1812-- Part 1: Sackets Harbor

From Wikipedia.

The first land action of the Marines in the War of 1812 was the establishment of an advanced base at Sackets Harbor, New York, by 63 Marines.  This gave the Navy a base on the shores of Lake Ontario.  Sackets Harbor later became the headquarters of the Navy for all action on the Great Lakes..

Marines helped defeat two British attacks on Sackets Harbor (the First and Second Battles of Sackets Harbor.

They later also established a base at Erie, Pennsylvania, where Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie was built.

--Brock-Perry

USS Constellation Goes for Reconstruction-- Part 2

In the War of 1812, the Constellation sailed from Washington, D.C. to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and immediately was blockaded by the British at Norfolk.

The current USS Constellation was built in 1854, using a small amount of material from the original ship which had been disassembled in 1853.

The ship has been patched and rebuilt several times, so definitely is not the original ship.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Constellation Setting Sail for Reconstruction-- Part 1

From the October 26, 2017, WMAR ABC 2, Baltimore, Md.

The USS Constellation is a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Civil War and can usually be found in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, but on Thursday, October 26, is set sail.  It sailed to Fort McHenry and fired a salute and turned around.

The reconstruction is part of the Living Classroom Foundation's effort.

The Constellation first sailed in 1797 and participated in the Quasi War with France where it captured a French frigate and two French privateers.

--Brock-Perry

Ceremony to Honor Private William Hamilton, War of 1812 Veteran

From the October 24, 2017, Russellville (Arkansas) Courier News.

The Texas and Arkansas Societies, U.S. daughters of the War of 1812, gathered at the Old Baptist cemetery, in Russellville to mark the grave and hold a commemorative service for War of 1812 veteran Private William Hamilton.

His great-great-great granddaughter, Mary Anne Norman Davidson gave a talk on his life.

His grave now has one of those brass War of 1812 veteran markers.

--Brock-Perry

Veterans Day Ceremony at Greenwood Cemetery

From the October 24, 2017, Canon City (Colorado) Daily Record.

This is an annual event and this year took place on November 4 at Greenwood Pioneer Cemetery.

The Sons of the War of 1812 will present a program to honor Milby Smith who served in both the War of 1812 and the Mexican War.

They received a gravestone to mark his grave a year ago.

Milby Smith was born March 10, 1794 and at the age of 18 served in the New York militia and at the age of 56 was in the Mexican War.  he is one of just two War of 1812 veterans buried in Colorado.

At 11 a.m., Ron bates will speak on the GAR monument at the cemetery.  Both Union and Confederate Civil War veterans are buried in the cemetery as well.

--Brock-Perry

A Walk in the Cemetery: Two War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Marshall Cemetery

From the October 31, 2017, Independent (Minnesota)  "A walk in the cemetery finds a four-time war hero"  Jody Isaacson.

Marshall Cemetery, Marshall, Minnesota.  Thomas Hicks and Joseph Fifield served in the War of 1812.  They are the only two Minnesota soldiers in the area to serve in that war according to Arthur Finnell, author of "Known War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Minnesota."

Both came considerably after the war to live in Minnesota, as late as 1870.  They weren't born in Minnesota (which wasn't a state during the war), but came later as pioneers or to live with relatives in their declining years.

Thomas Hicks was originally buried in the Catholic Cemetery east of Marshall, but was reburied at Marshall Cemetery in 1921.

--Brock-Perry

Last Survivor of the Battle of Baltimore-- Part 2

Elijah B. Glenn was the "last survivor" of the "Old Defenders" who had saved Baltimore from the British attack in September 1814, which led to the writing of "The Star Spangled Banner."

He died July 25, 1898, at the age of 102 at the home of his granddaughter, Mrs. John Barcklow.

He joined the Maryland Militia as a private at the age of 18 and served in Captain Peter Pinney's company of the 27th Maryland Regiment and also fought the British at the Battle of North Point.

--Brock-Perry

Last Survivor of the Battle of Baltimore-- Part 1

From the November 4, 2017, Cecil Whig  "Ask the Historical Society: Last 'Defender.'"

Someone had heard that the last survivor of the Battle of Baltimore was from Cecil County and asked the question.

In 1896, the Utica Morning herald reported that only 14 pensioners remained from the War of 1812.

One of them was Elijah B. Glenn, a centenarian.

He was born at Carpenter's Point in 1796  (There is some confusion as to his last name in the article as it was given originally as Green and then Gleen.  I also found it listed as Glenn.  I am going with Glenn.)

--Brock-Perry

Montgomery Bell-- Part 3: His Money used for the Montgomery Bell Academy

Montgomery Bell gave $20,000 in his will to educate children ages 10-14 who would otherwise not be able to get an education and that bequest has resulted in the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee

The Montgomery Bell Academy was established in 1867 as the successor to two previous schools, one of which was the Western Military Institute, which Sam Davis, the "Boy Hero of the Confederacy" attended and the University of Nashville.

In 1881, the school moved to an estate and received the name Montgomery Bell Academy because of his endowment to the school with the stipulation that it remain all male.

It still exists.

--Brock-Perry

Montgomery Bell-- Part 2: Emancipated His Slaves

Montgomery Bell immediately began to enlarge the operations by building other furnaces and mills.

In 1808, he was buying wood at 50 cents a cord to fire the Cumberland Furnace which cast cannon balls used by Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.

He built a home called Bell View.  His business interests were severely hurt by the Panic of 1819.

By 1835, he had sent fifty of his freed slaves to Liberia and in 1853, sent fifty more.  Eventually he emancipated 150 more.  He even went so far as to hire a teacher from Philadelphia to teach them how to read and write, something that was very illegal at the time.

--Brock-Perry

Montgomery Bell-- Part 1: "The Iron Master of Middle Tennessee

Wikipedia

Born June 3, 1769 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Died April 1, 1855, in Dickson County, Tennessee.

A manufacturing entrepreneur who was credited for much of the economic development of early Middle Tennessee.  He earned the title "Iron Master of Middle Tennessee."  He also founded one of the largest non-sectarian all-boys private secondary schools in the country.that still bears his name.

He purchased James Robertson's ironworks at Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, in 1804 for $16,000.

--Brock-Perry

Montgomery Bell State Park

Montgomery Bell has a state park in the state named for him.

A Tennessee State Park located east of Dickson, Tennessee, off US-70.

Consists of an inn, cabins, a restaurant called the Forge Room and a conference center.

--Brock-Perry

Cumberland Furnace-- Part 2: Montgomery Bell's Ironworks

The Highland Rim around Nashville and area was found to have abundant iron ore deposits, so locating in the area was a natural choice.

In 1793, General James Robertson and William Sheppard purchased 640 acres from James Campbell, a private in North Carolina's Continental Line during the American Revolution.  They erected a furnace for an ironworks.

It was in operation by 1796.  In 1804, Montgomery Bell of Chester, Pennsylvania, bought the furnace for $16,000 and built a second furnace and by 1812 had a contract to furnish the U.S. government with cannon shot, gunpowder and whiskey.  (Not sure what the whiskey had to do with the ironworks.  It must have been a side business for Bell.)

During the War of 1812, Montgomery Bell became the chief supplier of heavy armaments for both the Navy and Andrew Jackson's army.

--Brock-Perry

Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee-- Part 1: Still a Town There

From Wikipedia.

In the last post I mentioned the Tennessee militia on their way to New Orleans in November 1814 having cannonballs made by Ironmaster Montgomery Bell from his Cumberland Furnace.

There is still an unincorporated town of Cumberland Furnace in Dickson County.  It, of course, received its name from the ironworks.  The Cumberland Furnace Historical District was designated September 28, 1988.

Cumberland Furnace is the oldest community south of the Cumberland River between Nashville and Clarksville.

--Brock-Perry

Tennessee Volunteer Militia Leave Clarksville for New Orleans

The Tennessee Volunteer Militia left Clarksville, Tennessee, on November 15, 1814 and got to New Orleans in time to take part in the night battle on December 23, 1814, and then the decisive Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.

In addition to guns, powder and supplies, the transport boats also carried cannonballs made by Ironmaster Montgomery Bell from his Cumberland Furnace in Dickson County.

Clarksville had a reenactment of the event on November 15, 2014, two hundred years later.  Bicentennial, you know.

--Brock-Perry