Wingate's Ohio Militia Roster

Massacre At Pigeon Roost

1812 Sep 3 Massacre at Pigeon Roost

State Of The Barracks

  

Image 314

Return...and Distribution of the Barracks...

Cross-posted at Detour Through History

Bombardment Of Lewes

"A demand was made on March 16, 1813, upon the inhabitants of Lewes, Delaware, for twenty live bullocks 'with a proportionate amount of vegetables and hay,' for which he [the British officer in command of the blockade, Sir John P. Beresford] would pay reasonable prices, but threatened to destroy the town if his demand was not satisfied.  The demand met with instant defiance, and the news of it was communicated... ."

Site Of Fort In Lewes, Delaware - War of 1812

"Detachments of militia from the three States (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware) poured into Lewes... .  The British started a bombardment of Lewes on April 6, and kept it up for 22 hours, but did little damage, and did not land any forces from the enemy fleet." [Source]

Court Martials In Kingston

Proceedings of a Militia General Court Martial held at Kingston on Dec. 6, 1813, for the trial of Amos McIntyre. Upper Canada Sundries : C-4508, Image 490

Image 514 cost of court martial

General Orders, Kingston, 25th November, 1813

Upper Canada Sundries : C-4508 (Image 488):

"Complimenting Lt. Col. Bostwick & his associates for their gallantry in capturing destroying a band of traitors."

Letter - Probable Detroit Spoils Of War

Source (Page 61)

Reconnoitering Under McArthur

On the 14th [of July] a company of militia and a rifle corps, under colonel M'cArthur, were detached to reconnoitre the country. They penetrated to M'Gregor's mills, upon the river La Tranche, or Thames, a short distance from the field of battle where the British army was captured fifteen months afterwards by general Harrison. On the 17th, they returned to camp, having collected a great quantity of provisions, and a number of blankets, besides a considerable quantity of ammunition and other military stores.

1812 Map Including The Thames River In Canada (LOC)

That part of Upper Canada traversed by the detachment is described by one of the volunteers that composed it as extremely fertile and beautiful. The fields of wheat and Indian corn were remarkably fine; but as every male capable of bearing arms had been drafted for the defence of the province, vast quantities of the wheat remained ungathered. [Source]

Officers At The Battle Of Autosee Creek

Major Freeman, at the head of Irwin's troop of cavalry, and part of Steele's, made a furious and successful charge upon a body of Indians, sabred several and completely defeated them: captain Thomas and his company, captain Adams and lieutenant Hendon's rifle companies killed a great many Indians, and deserve particular praise. Captain Barton's company was in the hottest of the battle, and fought like soldiers. Captain Myrick, captain Little, captain King, captain Broadnax, captain Cleveland, captain Joseph T. Cunningham, and captain Lee, with their companies, distinguished themselves. [Source]

Adjutant general Newman rendered important services during the action, by his cool and deliberate courage. My aid, major Crawford, discharged with promptitude the duties of a brave and meritorious officer. Major Pace, who acted as field aid, also distinguished himself; both these gentlemen had their horses shot under them, and the latter lost his. Doctor Williamson, hospital surgeon, and doctor Clopton, were prompt and attentive in the discharge of their duty towards the wounded during the action. [Ibid]

Brigadier general Shackleford was of great service in bringing the troops into action; and adjutant Broadnax, and major Montgomery, who acted as assistant adjutant, showed great activity and courage. Major Booth used his best endeavors in bringing his battalion to action, and major Watson's battalion acted with considerable spirit. Irwin's, Patterson's, and Steele's troops of cavalry, whenever an opportunity presented, charged with success. 'Lieutenant Strong had his" horse shot and narrowly escaped, and quarter master Fennell displayed the greatest heroism, and miraculously escaped, though badly wounded, after having his horse shot from under him. The topographical engineer was vigilant in his endeavours to render service. [Ibid]

Joseph (Wilcox) Willcocks

Generic War of 1812 Soldier 

One of the most prominent of  McClure's agents in this detestable work was one Wilcox, a British subject of Irish birth, who at the time of the war was a resident of York, editor of a newspaper and a member of the Legislature of Upper Canada. Wilcox took a strong ground in favor of the Americans and tried to persuade the Legislature and people of Upper Canada to refuse to resist the invaders.

Wilcox, finding the atmosphere of York too warm for him, fled soon after Hull's surrender and took refuge in New York State, and it was quite in keeping with his character that when he turned his back on Canada, he should have taken with him a horse which he had stolen from *Lieut. Ryerson of the Norfolk Militia. This dastardly thief, who afterwards served in the American army until he was killed at Fort Erie, was a fitting instrument in the hands of McClure to harry, rob and harass the people of Newark and its vicinity. [Source]

*George Ryerson was a member of the Norfolk Militia

The Loyalists of America by Egerton Ryerson, included the following:

Source

Gilmer Letter Regarding The British In Hampton

Source - Library Of Virginia Online

Excerpts from the Educator Resource for Francis Walker Gilmer Letter (same link as above):

"Letter, Francis Walker Gilmer, Montevideo, Buckingham County, to William Wirt, Richmond, 8 July 1813. Personal Papers Collection, Accession 18763. Library of Virginia."

"Gilmer’s outrage at the conduct of the British forces at Hampton under British Admiral Sir Alexander Cockburn is one of the most controversial episodes of the war. After defeating elements of Virginia militia, British forces entered the city on June 25, 1813. During the withdrawal the next day, troops destroyed and looted property, murdered citizens, and raped several women. Cockburn and other officers blamed Canadian Chasseurs (French deserters recruited by the English) for the mayhem. Whatever the truth, the incident provoked deep outrage throughout America. “Remember Hampton” became a rallying cry for American troops, including those under Jackson at New Orleans."

Rev. George Ryerson Was A Canadian Soldier

George Ryerson's profile at Wikitree.

Source

Jacob Brown's And Electus Backus's Collaboration

Jacob Brown

"[Jacob Brown]...was residing at his home in Brownsville on the Black River a few miles from Sackett's Harbor had been requested by General Dearborn and urged by Colonel Macomb to assume chief command in that region. He was unwilling to interfere with his esteemed friend, Colonel Backus, and agreed to take command only in the event of actual invasion. He went to headquarters frequently to advise with Backus concerning preparations for defense, and it was understood between them that if the enemy should threaten the post, Brown was to call the neighboring militia to the Harbor and take chief command." [Source]

Lieutenant-Colonel Bouchette

Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bouchette, son of the Commodore, began his career in the provincial navy under his father. He made the first survey of the harbor of Toronto in May, 1793, received his appointment as second lieutenant in the following year, serving in the navy until 1796. In 1797, he commanded an armed row-galley which cruised between Montreal and Quebec. His reports seem to have led to the arrest of Colonel McLean, afterwards executed as a spy. He took a military course in 1800. In 1804, he was appointed Surveyor-General of Lower Canada, raised a regiment, Quebec Volunteers, in 1812, and in 1813 was appointed lieutenant-colonel and transferred to staff and intelligence service.

Lennox Militia In Upper Canada

From Officers of the British Forces in Canada During the War of 1812-15:

See an earlier post from this source.


Lennox Militia pay list from the Canadian Archives:  War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microform: t-10383 (Image 100):

Admiration For Andrew Jackson

Jackson Quelling The Mutiny

"But, for no part of his [Andrew Jackson's] conduct do I consider him more entitled to praise, than for his steadiness in resisting the recommendation of Governor Blount, in the campaign of 1813, who advised him to discharge a part of his force, quit the country he had subdued, and to retire for security to the settlements."

 "The Governor hesitated with regard to the exertions of power, and feared reproach in enforcing orders, which, when given, had been altogether neglected, or disobeyed."

 I admire the manly reply of General Jackson! I admire...the firm language of truth to say to the Governor--'If you would preserve your reputation, you must take a determined course, regardless of the applause or censure of the populace and of the forebodings of that dastardly and designing crew, who, at a time like this, continually clamour in your ears. The very wretches who now beset you with evil council, will be the first, should the measure which they recommend, eventuate in disaster, to call down implications on your head, and load you with reproaches. Your country is in danger; apply its resources to its defence....'".

"This was indeed the language of a patriotic heart...". [Source]

The Cameron Rolls, 1812

Source

Lewis G. De Russy (Officer And Graduate Of West Point)

There's a short biography of Lewis G. De Russy here that included the following:

" He was the oldest West Point graduate to serve as an officer in the Confederate Army, and he had three Confederate forts named after him. (He also had a brother and a nephew who were generals in the Union Army, and between the three of them there were five Fort DeRussys.)"

This blog post has a photo of De Russy here.

If There Had Been With Me 2,000 Kentuckians

View Of Frankfort, Kentucky

"Commodore Barney's opinion of the Maryland militia was not a high one."

"At a dinner in his honor, at Frankfort, Kentucky, he said: 'I had the good fortune to be in seventeen battles during the revolution, in all of which the star-spangled banner triumphed over the bloody cross, and in the late war I had the honor of being engaged in nine battles with the same glorious result, except in the last, in which I was unfortunate, though not in fault. If there had been with me 2,000 Kentuckians, instead of 7,000 Marylanders, Washington City would not have been sacked, nor or country disgraced.'" [Source]

The Militia's Serviceable Effective Appearance

The news had arrived that the long threatened invasion [from the American army under General Wilkinson] had at last taken place, and every available man was hurrying to meet it. We came up with several regiments of militia on their line of march.

Source

[Did the home-spun militia uniforms look anything like the civilian costumes of 1812?]

They had all a serviceable effective appearance—had been pretty well drilled, and their arms being direct from the tower, were in perfectly good order, nor had they the mobbish appearance that such a levy in any other country would have had. Their capots and trowsers of home-spun stuff, and their blue tuques (night caps) were all of the same cut and color, which gave them an air of uniformity that added much to their military look, for I have always remarked that a body of men's appearance in battalion, depends much less on the fashion of their individual dress and appointments, than on the whole being in strict uniformity.

From Recollections of the war of 1812  By William Dunlop...: