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