Joseph Holmes (Father of David and Andrew Holmes)

From WikiTree.  Also his mother Rebecca (Hunter) Holmes.

Joseph Holmes (1746-1806) was the father of both David Hunter, Mississippi Territory Governor and Andrew Hunter Holmes who I have written about earlier.

He was born near Londonderry in Ireland.  He was a successful merchant in Winchester, Virginia before the American Revolution.  During the war he was Colonel Commissary of Prisoners. 

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DAVID HOLMES

U.S. Congressman from Virginia.  Governor of Mississippi Territory in 1809.  Governor of the State of Mississippi 1817 (first governor).

U.S. Senator from Mississippi.  Mississippi Governor again in 1825.

--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

War of 1812 Soldiers Reburied in Vermont-- Part 2

Some more information on the story.

From the June 4, 2022, U.S. News & World Report "Vermont officials to rebury remains of War of 1812 veterans" by AP.

Thirty sets of remains were reburied Saturday, June 4, at a ceremony  in Vermont's largest city, Burlington.  They had been buried at different locations.  State and city officials will be attending the  ceremony which will take place at Lakeview Cemetery.

An estimated 500 American soldiers died in the Burlington area during the war between 1812 and 1815.  The area around Burlington's Battery Park was a military encampment overlooking Lake Champlain.  And, it was also the location of a major Army hospital.

No battles occurred in Burlington.

Military records indicate that more than 550 soldiers along with state militiamen, prisoners of war and civilian camp followers died in the Queen City.  All the burials were done on the then-undeveloped sandy plain to the north of the camp.

Over the last twenty years, the thirty that were found were located in the area known locally as the the Old North End.

Between 2002 and 2005, the remains of 23 were excavated in advance of a street improvement project.  In 2020, a housing construction project in the area recovered additional remains.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point: Three Americans Taken Prisoner (the Free Mason, the Idiot and the Black Man)

Three Americans were taken prisoner by the British during the confusion of the battle (well, more of a skirmish than battle).

They were Christopher Britton, Harry Skinner and Gilbert Saulter.

Of interest, Gilbert Saulter was a black man who had shouldered his musket to fight side by side with his white brothers.

The enemy put these men ashore before departing.  Tradition has it that Britton was released because he was a Free Mason and that Skinner convinced them that he was a drink or idiotic and carried on in such a manner that the British commander lost his patience and ordered his men to "put the damned fool on shore."

No one knows why Saulter was put ashore, but possibly because of his race.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Sodus Point-- Part 1: It Was a Small Affair

I wrote about this battle in my last two posts, but had never heard of it.  Here is some more information:

From the HMdb site  "The War of 1812 Bicentennial Peace Garden -- Sodus Point--.

Inscription:

The Battle of Troupesville (later renamed Sodus Point) was fought at the brow of this hill on the rainy evening of June  19th, 1813.  A group of approximately  60 Americans (farmers who had no military training and poorly trained militia) fired into a group of  about 200 British  marines as they ascended the hill.

Two Americans (Asher Warner and Charles Terry and three British marines would die from wounds received.  After the initial volley, the Americans retreated into the underbrush and the British retreated back to the five ships that lay in anchor offshore.

Three Americans were captured  as the two sides intermingled in the darkness, but they were released then next day.

--Brock-Perry

The Unfortunate Surrender of Detroit-- Part 2: Hull Sentenced to Death by Court Martial

The next morning, British General Isaac Brock crossed the Detroit River and arrived at Springwells unopposed.  His army marched  just north to May's Creek and set up a defensive position along the ravine.  Then Brock and the Natives advanced north to Fort Detroit, setting up positions just 1200 yards away.

Despite having a very sizable force inside the fort, William Hull was convinced   that he and his men were outnumbered.  He surrendered to Tecumseh without firing a shot.

About 2,500 U.S. soldiers were taken prisoner of war and moved to British Canada for imprisonment.

Hull was relieved of his command and later court martialed in 1814 for treason, cowardice, neglect of duty and misconduct.  He was sentenced to death, but spared from hanging by President James Madison.  General William Hull remains the only U.S. general to be sentenced to death by an American court martial.

--Brock-Perry

About That Captain Thomas E. Craig-- Part 4: 'A Wanton Act of Cruelty'

When the French villagers returned, Craig had forty of them arrested, claiming that someone had fired on them.  The French denied this.  Craig had his prisoners taken downriver to Alton where they were held for four days before being released.

In the meantime, Craig and his men killed all the village's cattle and burned part of the town.

Historians tend to look at Craig's actions as being misguided.  To John Reynolds, the destruction of French Peoria was "useless" and "a wanton act of  cruelty."  Historian Frank  Stevens denounced Craig's conduct  as "asinine and criminal."

He must Have Had a Really Big Hatred of the French (and Probably Indians as Well).  --Brock-Perry

Early History of Peoria-- Part 2: The Coming of the War of 1812

During 1810, a series of raids were launched by Illinois Indians which resulted in a great deal of anxiety among the settlers.  Throughout the next year, British representatives from Canada; still upset  over their defeat in the American Revolution, continued to encourage the Indians to attack the white settlers throughout the Illinois Territory.

The War of 1812 began in June of that year and that caused the French settlers in Peoria to be at war with the British and their Indian allies, including the Potawatomi.  Because the French settlers at Peoria had a close relationship with the Potawatomi, their position was extremely difficult.

In August of 1812,  the American post at Chicago, Fort Dearborn, was taken by the Potawatomi, and many of the soldiers and residents  were killed or taken prisoner. Thomas Forsyth of Peoria, half brother and  partner of Chicago trader John Kinzie, went north to negotiate with the Indians for the return of the prisoners.

In the meantime, Governor Ninian Edwards had been receiving reports that Peoria was a hotbed of Indian troubles.  In October, 1812, just a few months after Fort Dearborn, the governor led an attack  of mounted troops across the prairies from Fort Russell near Edwardsville (no one is sure where this fort's actual location was), and destroyed the Potawatomi village of Chief Black Partridge at the upper end of Lake Peoria, on the east side of the river.

Although the soldiers found the village deserted, they plundered and burned it.  In clashes with nearby Indians, 25 to 30 were killed.

--Brock-Perry

Timeline of Captain Gwinn's Life-- Part 1: 1791 to 1823

 From the John Gwinn Papers, Library of Congress.

1791, June 11  Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman

           Duty on John Adams (frigate)

1814   Duty on Frolic  (sloop of war), West India Squadron

           Prisoner of War, Halifax, Nova Scotia

1815   Duty on Boxer (brig), Mediterranean Squadron

1817   Duty on the Hornet (sloop of war), European Station

1819   Duty on the Independence (ship of the line) 

1823   Married  Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 2: His Navy Career

John Gwinn's Life

1791, June 11   Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman.  Duty on frigate John Adams

1814   Duty in sloop-of-war Frolic, West India Squadron  Prisoner of war, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1815   Duty  on Boxer (brig) Mediterranean Squadron. 

1817  Duty on the USS Hornet (sloop-of-war)   European Squadron

1819  Duty on USS  Independence (ship of the line)

1823   Married Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn, USN-- Part 1: Captured on USS Frolic

From Wikipedia.

In the last post, I wrote that the USS Dale, named for American Revolution naval hero Richard Dale, father of Midshipman Dale who I have written extensively about this past month, was commanded by John Gwinn when it was commissioned.

I hadn't heard of him before, so Wikipedia here I go.

JOHN GWINN, III

Born June 11, 1791  Died  September 1, 1849

Born in Maryland.

During the War of 1812, he was on the USS Frolic which was captured by the Royal Navy in 1814 and remained a POW or the remainder of the conflict.

Later commanded the USS Vandalia.

Later commanded the USS Constitution.

--Brock-Perry

About That Fort Wayne in Detroit-- Part 6: World War II

Every single tank, truck, jeep, tire or spare part that was sent overseas to the European and Pacific Theaters from Detroit went through Fort Wayne.  And that was a huge amount to say the least.  At the time, there was also a railroad spur along the river front, docks for large ships and over 2,000 , mostly civilian, employees.

The drivers and mechanics of the Red Ball Express were also trained there.

In addition, Fort Wayne also served as the detention center for Italian prisoners of war captured during the North African Campaign., who were employed as servants, cooks and janitors.  After Italy's surrender, the POWs were given the chance to return to Italy, but many chose to stay in Detroit.

--Brock-Perry

Frederic Messer's Father Was in the American Revolution and Two of His Sons and a Nephew Were In the Confederate Army

In addition, Frederick Messer's father, Christian Sargeant Messer (1760-1850) served in the North Carolina militia during the American revolution.

And, two of his sons were in the Confederate Army as well as a son-in-law and a nephew.  One son and his nephew died during the war.  The nephew died in Chicago's infamous Camp Douglas Prison.

I am writing about the Confederates in my Saw the Elephant:  Civil War blog right now.  Click on that 

--Brock-Perry

American Privateer Anaconda-- Part 6: After the Battle

The privateer (the Anaconda)  is one of the finest brigs ever seen -- the officers treated us with great politeness -- were bona fide Americans -- but the crew, I am sorry to say, , who were mostly Englishman, were the greatest blackguards ever seen, and  I verily believe would have given us no quarter.

Captain Quick (the commander of the Express) observes,  that the greatest bravery was displayed by his handful of men.  Upwards of 200  shot struck the Express; five 12-pound shot went through one side, and lodged in the other.

Indeed, Capt. Shaler of the Anaconda, says in his letter to the Agent  for American prisoners in Plymouth:  "Captain Quick had his ship almost shot away from under him, my vessel being so superior to his, mounting 18 long nines and twelves, and manned by 120 men."

--Brock-Perry

American Privateers vs. U.S. Navy in the War of 1812-- Part 1: "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights"

Since I have been writing about the privateer Patriot.

From American Merchant Marine and Privateers of the War of 1812.

The War of 1812 was fought over the Merchant Marine.  The British were seizing American ships on the high seas, and forcing seamen (impressment) to join their navy.  In addition, American ships bound to Europe would be seized if they did not first make a stop at a British port.

Between 1802 and 1812, they seized or stopped nearly 1500 American vessels.

The war was fought primarily by American merchant ships because the U.S. Navy was so small.  The battle cry was "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights."    During the war, U.S. privateers and Navy ships  together captured some 30,000 prisoners, compared to the American Army's 6,000.

Value of privateer captured British prizes was almost $40 million.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gibson-- Part 5: Named After James Gibson

Colonel Jonathan Williams, a grandnephew of Benjamin Franklin, oversaw the construction of the brick and stone fortification.  Some of the remains of the fort are still there.

During the war, British prisoners were housed on Ellis Island, but since the British never made an attempt to take New York City, it saw no action.

In 1814, the fort was named for Colonel James Gibson, a 33-year-old officer killed at the Battle of Fort Erie during the War of 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gibson, New York Harbor-- Part 1: On Oyster Island/Ellis Island

From New York State Military Museum.

Fort Gibson, 1795, New York County, Ellis Island.

New York State acquired Oyster Island, by then known as Ellis Island, from the City of New York in 1794 Shortly thereafter  the War Department established a twenty-gun battery there as well as a magazine and barracks.

During the War of 1812 it did not see action since the British did not attack New York City.  However, it was used  as a garrison post and held POWs.

--Brock-Perry

Leslie Combs of Kentucky-- Part 1: Politician and Soldier

Another man who was at the 1872 Reunion of War of 1812 veterans in Kentucky was Leslie Combs.  He was 78 at the time.

From Wikipedia.

LESLIE COMBS

November 28, 1793 to August 22, 1881

Was a lawyer and politician from Kentucky.  He served under General William Henry Harrison during the War of 1812 and was captured in 1813.  After his release, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1818.  He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives for many different terms.

--Brock-Perry

Custer and the Civil War, His Confederate Friend and George Washington

Besides in this blog, with George Custer's connection to the War of 1812, I have been writing about George Custer in the Civil War, primarily at this point on his running into a friend of his from his USMA at West Point, Lt. James Worrell Washington during the war.

Only, his friend was now in the Confederate Army.  And now, a Union prisoner after the Battle of Seven Pines.  A picture was taken of the two friends, now adversaries.

You can find out about this "reunion" as well as its connection to John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry and the George Washington relics at my Saw the Elephant Civil War blog.

Click on the My Blogs slot to the right of this.

--Brock-Perry

James Lingan-- Part 2: American Revolution "I'll Rot First"

James Lingan enlisted in the Continental Army just nine days after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  He became a lieutenant in the Rawlings Additional Regiment, but was captured at Fort Washington on November 16, 1776.  James McHenry, for whom Fort McHenry in Baltimore was named, was also captured at this fort.

His imprisonment on the infamous prison hulk HMS Jersey.  He was initially kept in a cell where he could neither lie down or stand up.  A distant cousin, Samuel Hood, approached him and offered 10,000 pounds and a commission in the British Army to switch sides.  He reportedly answered, "I'll rot first."

He later gained the reputation as a defender of prisoner rights.  On one occasion, he defended the body of a recently deceased prisoner from guards who wanted to behead the corpse to make it fit into a small coffin.

He remained on the ship until the end of the war.

--Brock-Perry