The Day Word Came That Gen. Hull Surrendered Fort Detroit-- Part 3: Why Hull Surrendered the Fort?

Then, Tecumseh would have his warriors appear out in the open where the Americans could see them, then they would disappear into the forest, then to appear again in a different spot.  These tactics unnerved some of the American officers and especially William Hull.

Hull was past his prime as a field commander and despite his junior officers urging him to fight, decided to surrender.  This especially after British General Brock (the Brock in my sign-off "Brock-Perry) had told Hull that if it came to a fight between the two forces, that he couldn't guarantee American safety from his bloodthirsty Indian allies.

Some say that Hull had his daughter in the fort as well and that he greatly feared for her safety.

Either way, Hull surrendered Fort Detroit, which opened Lake Erie up to British control.  With it in their control, they also held sway over upstate New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

A year later, the war took a different course in September 1813, when a pivotal battle took place on the lake.  That battle's hero has something to do with the second half of my sign-off.

Covered in Next Post.  --Brock-Perry

The Disappearance of the Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston

I have been writing about the HMS Nimrod captured the French privateer Nouvelle Enterprise, which was taken into the British Navy as the HMS Venturer and afterwards the HMS Theodosia.

From the August 5, 2016, Mental Floss  "7 ships that disappeared without a trace" by Claire Cock-Starkey.  Also from the North Carolina Shipwrecks February 9, 2012, Schooner Patriot  and tye mystery of Theodosia Burr Alston."

Also August 13, 2018 History.com  "Wreckers scavenged a living by snatching shipwrecks' loot" by Hadley Meares.  How Nags Head got name.  Also Bermuda Triangle Central  The Patriot

The Patriot:  The Disappearance of Theodosia Burr Alston. (1783-1813)
--Brock-Perry

The Day Word Came That Gen. Hull Had Surrendered Fort Detroit-- Part 2: Indian Allies

Historian Alan Taylor doubts that the Indians would have attacked Pittsburgh, but other historians disagree.  Andrew E. Masich says that the Indians were led by a chief named Tecumseh who led Delaware, Huron and Wyandot warriors whose land had been taken by insatiable white settlers.

They found a good ally in the British who were quick to enlist their help, arm them and treat them with respect. The British commander in Canada was Isaac Brock who hit it off with Tecumseh, regarding him as a noble Indian and a man of great genius.

Against William Hull at Fort Detroit, Brock and Tecumseh's men were greatly outnumbered by the Americans who had nearly twice their number.  They made the Americans think they were the ones vastly outnumbered.  One ploy was to have soldiers and Indians each light a campfire instead of a mess where just one fire would be lit for many men.  Americans peering over the fort's walls saw many campfires around them and were led to believe that they were the ones outnumbered.

--Brock-Perry

The Day Word Came That Gen. Hull Had Surrendered Detroit-- Part 1: Pittsburgh in Fear

 From the August 22, 2020, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Marylynne Pitz.

Three months into the War of 1812, word came that William Hull, an American revolution veteran, governor of Michigan Territory and commander of the North West American Army had surrendered the strategic Fort Detroit to British General Isaac Brock (that's the Brock part of my sign-off).

A postal rider from Warren, Ohio, delivered the news to Pittsburgh.  More than 200 years ago, the Pittsburgh Gazette, a predecessor of this paper, published the story on August 23, 1812, "with heartfelt regret."

Located 300 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Fort Detroit  connected to western Pennsylvania by Indian trails.

Pittsburgh was greatly alarmed because of the British Indian allies who would begin raiding into Ohio with Fort Detroit out of the way.  And, from there, Pittsburgh would be a definite target.

One of today's historians, however, believes that wasn't true.  Alan Taylor says Indian raids at the time did not extend very far east or south.

--Brock-Perry

Seven Things You Didn't Know About New York's Central Park-- Part 5: Seneca Village

7.  One of the first African American communities in the city was razed in order  to create Central Park.

About three decades before the creation of the park, the area  was home to Seneca Village, a small community founded by free black property owners, one of the first ones in New York City.

It had three churches and a school and stretched between West 83rd and 89th streets.  By the 1840s, German and Irish immigrants moved to the area, making it one of the few integrated areas of the time.

In 1853, the city took possession of the area through eminent domain and destroyed Seneca Village to make way for Central Park.  The history of the village was largely ignored until 2011, when historians and archaeologists from the Institute for the Exploration of Seneca Village excavated six areas within the former village.

They found thousands of artifacts, including household items that revealed signs of middle-class life.  Last year, the central Park Conservancy  launched an outdoor exhibit to teach visitors about Seneca Village.

--Brock-Perry

Seven Things You Didn't Know About New York's Central Park-- Part 4: The Whisper Bench and the Surveyor Bolt

5.  The park is home to the "Whisper Bench" in Shakespeare Garden.  It is similar to the whispering walls of Grand Central.  It is named in honor of Charles B. Stover, a park advocate and co-founder  of the University Settlement.  It is a curved  granite bench that can be found in the four-acre Shakespeare Garden.

If you sit at one end and whisper , the sound travels to the other side, creating a way to share secrets, even in this age of social distancing.

6.  There is a surveyor bolt put in place by the mastermind of the Manhattan Grid that remains unmarked. 

John Randel Jr., the chief surveyor who designed the Manhattan street grid more than 200 years ago, traversed the city  for about a decade to mark nearly 1,000 future intersections.  Randel and his team were not exactly loved by New Yorkers at the time and some destroyed his markers, set their dogs after him and even threw vegetables at him.

Only one of his many bolts has been found at a location originally marked as Sixth Avenue and 65th Street but is now a part of Central Park.  Embedded in a rock on the southern end of the park, the bolt's location remains unmarked in order to preserve it, as well as create a treasure hunt for history and city planning buffs.

--Brock-Perry

Seven Things You Didn't Know About New York City's Central Park-- Part 3: The War of 1812 Blockhouse

4.  Another relic of the War of 1812, which never reached New York City or Manhattan, the Blockhouse is the second-oldest structure in the park, after Cleopatra's Needle (1450 BC).  The Blockhouse was built in 1814 to protect against a British attack (something that never came in the war or afterwards in case you count the Beatles).

At its strongest, it n consisted of a two-story bunker and could hold up to 2,000 militiamen.

When this northern part of area was added to the park's design in 1863, Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux decided  to leave the Blockhouse as a charming piece of history.

--Brock-Perry

Seven Things You Didn't Know About New York's Central Park-- Part 2: Fort Clinton and the Cannon

3.  The cannon at the War of 1812's Fort Clinton actually came from an American Revolution British ship.

Fort Clinton has views of Harlem Meer and the city's east side and served as a strategic overlook in the War of 1812.  It was named after the city's mayor at the time, DeWitt Clinton.  The fortification and its original remains were retained during the construction of Central Park.

A historic cannon and mortar can be found at the top that actually predate the War of 1812.  They came from the HMS Hussar, a British ship from the American Revolution that sank in the East River in 1778, and were later donated anonymously to the park in 1865.

This Revolutionary War cannon was placed in various sites around the park until placed at Fort Clinton in 1905.  When the staff of the Conservancy  cleaned the cannon in 2013, they found it was still loaded with cannonball and powder, all of which have since been removed.

I have already written about this.  Click on the Fort Clinton label below.

No Big Bangs Here.  --Brock-Perry

Seven Things You Didn't Know About New York's Central Park-- Part 1: Lampposts and Waterfalls

From the April 20, 2020, 6sqft. by Devin Gannon.

"Although it's one of the most-visited parks in the world,   Central Park is chock-full of  hidden spots and historic treasures that even native-New Yorkers don't know about.  Designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux,the 840-acre park has served as an oasis for city dwellers for over 150 years.

Here are some lesser-known spots in the park.

1.  The park's 1,600 lampposts, designed by Beaux Arts architect Henry Bacon in 1907 has a set of numbers at the bottom to help you find your way.  (Bacon is best-known for designing the Lincoln Memorial.)

2.  There are at least five waterfalls in the park.  The water in them is the same as you would drink from your tap.

--Brock-Perry

Michigan Honors Two Early -American War Heroes

From the August 19, 2020, Army site.  by Bruce Huffman, Michigan National Guard.

Pinckney, Michigan.

The graves of father and son Claudius Britton II and III, who both fought in early-American wars and died in Michigan, were marked  and dedicated at Pinckney Cemetery on August 8.

Claudius Britton II enlisted in the  the militia in 1777 at the age of 16 and served  as a scout in Vermont's Green Mountain Continental Rangers in the American Revolution.  He was captured by the British in 1778 and imprisoned in a Quebec dungeon until 1783,

His son, Claudius Britton III, briefly fought for the Vermont  militia during the War of 1812

In 1824, the Brittons moved to the mid-Michigan area and established a family farm in what is now Ann Arbor.

--Brock-Perry

New United States Daughters 1812 Forming in Montana-- Part 2

Membership to the organization is open to all women who can prove lineal  descent to an ancestor, who, between 1794 and 1815, provided civil, military, naval service to our country, gave material aide to the U.S. Army or Navy, or who  participated in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

If you live in Montana, Idaho, North and South Dakota, and descended from such an ancestor, and'or would like to be a charter member of the Montana State Society, send an e-mail to MontanaUSD1812@ gmail.com.

The purpose of the Society is to promote patriotism and preserve and increase the knowledge of the history of the American people.  The group preserves documents and relics, marks historic places, records family histories and traditions, celebrates patriotic anniversaries, and  teaches and emphasizes historic deeds of the civil military, and naval life of those  who molded our government between  the close of the American Revolution and the close of the War of 1812, from 1784 to 1815, inclusive.

They also locate and mark the graves of the people from those years.

Again, so happy to have a new history group on board.

Congratulations.  --Brock-Perry

New United States Daughters of 1812 Forming in Montana-- Part 1

From the August 17, 2020,   KPVI 6 NBC News (Pocatello, Idaho)  "Daughters of 1812 organizing in Montana."

The National Society United States Daughters of 1812, a lineage group, is organizing a Montana  State Society.  Women from Butte, Hamilton, Corvallis, Bozeman, Lewistown, , Jefferson City, Havre,  Helena, Great Falls and Red Lodge are joining women  from Couer d' Alene, Nampa, idaho and South Dakota to form the organization.

The initial organizational  meeting will be held Saturday, September 26, at the Jefferson Community Center in Jefferson City.  Attendance can either be in person or by Zoom.

I am always happy to see am organization devoted to history forming, but I can see a definite problem with a group that spread out.  Meetings are always going to be difficult as it involves a whole lot of travel for many of the members.

This is a big problem with a group I belong to, the Sons of Confederate Veterans which has a camp in Chicago, the Camp Douglas Camp, #516.  The members are just spread too far apart for attendance at meetings.

But, anyway, I'm happy to see this group forming and hope they find a way to overcome the distance problem.

--Brock-Perry

Black Nova Scotia Man Fights For Land Title Dating Back to Early 1800s

From the August 9, 2020, Pique Magazine  "Black Nova Scotia man 'overjoyed'  as struggle for land title moves forward" by Canadian Press.

Christopher Downey  finished building his home in 2012 in North Preston, Nova Scotia, on land that had been in his family for generations.  Only, he found out he didn't own the land.  This set off a years-long effort to get title to it.

Downey is among scores of Blacks who have struggled for years to have their title claims recognized.  But now, after he won his case in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, this is going to make it easier for other Blacks to win their titles.

The problem dates back to the 1800s when the Nova Scotia government distributed land to white and black Loyalists -- people who had stayed loyal to the British government during and after the American Revolution.  They moved to Canada.

Yet, the white settlers received claim to their land, their black counterparts did not.  They were allowed to occupy the land they were given, but did not receive title to it.

Downey said that his ancestors fought alongside the British in the War of 1812.

It is good to see a wrong being set right.

--Brock-Perry

USS Constitution Reopens for Public Visitation

From the August 10, 2020, WCVB 5 ABC News.

It reopened Friday, August 7 and will be open  from 10 am to 6 pm  on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

About 1,000 visitors came to the "Old Ironsides" on its opening weekend.  All guests are required to wear a mask and groups are limited to 25 people to promote social distancing.

Visits last around 30 minutes and the ship's crew clean and sanitize surfaces and handrails between groups.

The ship closed on March 14 due to COVID-19.  After that, the crew gave virtual tours and around 3 million took them up on it.

The USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned  warship afloat and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.  It also actively defended the sea lanes between 1797 and 1855.

So Glad the Ship is Still With Us.  --Brock-Perry

Reopening This Blog Today

In the last post I said I wouldn't start this blog up again until all the Confederate statues were down and gone, but, well, that didn't happen.

I will be making the occasional post about the War of 1812.  I am still really busy writing about the new war on any and all things Confederate.

--Brock-Perry

This Blog Now Closed Due to Confederadication

I have eight blogs (which are eight blogs too many, believe me, but I enjoy doing the research and writing them).  However, there is a new chapter being written in U.S. history, for better or worse.  I believe it is for the worse, but anyway, it needs to be covered, especially from the other, much-maligned side.  And, I sure hope this does not turn into a race war.

Sadly, the media is mostly against us.  And, at times it seems that everybody is against us.

Keeping up with the continual and massive numbers of attacks is very time consuming and I have decided to temporarily close many of my other blogs while I do that.

I'm calling these attacks on the former Confederacy the Confederadication.  I put the words Confederate, the victim of these attacks, together with the word eradication, the objective of the other side.  Dropping the 'te" from Confederate I noticed we already had the first three letters of eradication.

And there we were.

I am covering this in my Civil War II: The Continuing War of the Confederacy blog.

So Until the Last Confederate Statue Comes Down and Last Vestige of the Confederacy Removed, This Blog will be Closed.  --Brock-Perry

The Career of Thomas Macdonough-- Part 3: A Complete American Victory

Thomas Macdonough immediately took advantage of the situation  and using brilliant seamanship and ingenuity, Macdonough maneuvered his ship to fire a broadside into the Confiance causing that ship to surrender.

With the Confiance out of action, the British fleet lost its strongest ship, the remaining enemy ships were pounded by the Americans and it became a total victory for Macdonough's fleet.

The result was a total victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh (also called Battle of Lake Champlain)  The British withdrew to Canada and the British got serious about negotiating a peace.

--Brock-Macdonough

The Career of Thomas Macdonough-- Part 2: A Big Break for the Americans

The British came with both Army soldiers under the command of George Prevost and a Naval fleet under the command of George Downie.  Downie was a very experienced sea man who had attained much success fighting against France during the Napoleonic Wars.  He was he commander of the HMS Confiance.

Defending Plattsburgh was a much smaller American force of some 2,000 men under the command of General Alexander Macomb and, of course Macdonough's which was also outgunned.  Things looked bleak for the Americans.

Macdonough's fleet met head on with British fleet on September 11, 1814.  In a moment that changed the course of the battle, a cannonball fired by Macdonough's flagship, the USS Saratoga, smashed into a British cannon on the Confiance causing it to land on Downie, killing him instantly.

--Brock-Macdonough

The Career of Thomas Macdonough-- Part 1

From Classic NY History  "Macdonough Monument:  History of Plattsburgh's Famous Monument" by Brian Kachijian.

Thomas Macdonough began his naval career in 1800.  He was born on New Year's Eve 1783 and was an orphan by the age of twelve.  His father served in the American Revolution.

He began naval service at the age of sixteen and served in the Barbary War against Algiers, Morocco, Tunis and Tripoli.  After that, he became captain of a merchant ship named the  Gullivar that transported goods between New York, England and India.

Upon the declaration of war between the U.S. and England, he returned to New York and was on his way to greatness.  He was placed in charge of naval forces on Lake Champlain at Plattsburgh, N.Y., where he oversaw the construction of American warships.

--Brock-Macdonough

What Teddy Roosevelt Had to Say About Macdonough

From Wikipedia.  Thomas Macdonough.

Theodore Roosevelt 1882

"Macdonough in this battle won a higher fame  than any other commander of the war, British or American.  he had a decidedly superior force to contend against, the officers and men of the two sides being about on par  in every respect; and it was solely owing to his foresight and resource that we won this battle.

He forced the British to engage at a disadvantage by his excellent choice of position; and he prepared beforehand for every possible contingency.

His personal prowess had already been shown at the cost  of the rovers of Tripoli, and in this action he helped fight the guns as ably as the best sailor.  His skill, seamanship, quick eye, readiness of resource, and indomitable pluck, are beyond all praise.

Down to the time of the Civil War he is the greatest figure in our naval history.

High Words of Praise Indeed.  --Brock-Perry

Maybe I should sign off with Brock-Macdonough instead of Brock-Perry?