Skirmish At Otter Creek

During the War of 1812 a small earth work called Fort Cassin was built at the mouth of Otter Creek, to prevent the British ships on Lake Champlain from ascending the river and destroying the American fleet being built at Vergennes. The fort was named for Lieut. Stephen Cassin, one of Macdonough's officers. The British fleet appeared off the mouth of the river, April* 14, 1814, and attacked the fort, the engagement lasting about half an hour. Many shells lodged in the parapet, one gun was dismounted, and two men were slightly wounded. Several of the British ships were damaged and the fleet soon withdrew. [Source]
*May?


A post on this blog described Fort Cassin and Otter Creek (with pictures).

Attack on Fort Cassin has its own Facebook page.

Photos of Reenactors here.

Captain Brush In Charge Of Supplies...

...for General Hull at Fort Detroit....

Source: The Robert Lucas Journal

During the first week in August a messenger arrived from Captain Henry Brush, then at the Raisin river, with two hundred volunteers from Chillicothe [see map], one hundred head of cattle, and other supplies forwarded by Governor Meigs of Ohio, desiring an escort to Detroit, as they were threatened by a large body of Indians and feared to enter the heavy timber, anticipating an ambush.  [Source]

Captain Brush's mission was to be supported by Major Van Horne.  As the Major was en route to a rendezvous with Capt Brush, Native Americans, who were enemies of the U.S. forces, attacked Major Van Horne's troops and the mission failed.

This blog has more.

William Dunlop, A Surgeon In The British Military

From Recollections of the war of 1812  By William Dunlop, Arthur Hugh Urquhart Colquhoun, "this reprint of an entertaining little narrative of personal experiences in the War of 1812-14 may be appropriately prefaced by a short account of the author."

"...William Dunlop was born at Greenock, Scotland, in 1792, and became, when a stripling of scarce 21 years of age, a surgeon in the famous 88th, or, Connaught Rangers. Being ordered to Canada, where the war with the United States was in progress, he made his way to the fighting line in the Niagara Peninsula, and there, serving first as surgeon and afterwards as a combatant, he gave indubitable proofs of courage and capacity." 

Arrived at Quebec, we reported ourselves, as in duty bound, to the General Commanding, and by his orders we left a subaltern to command the recruits (most of whom, by the way, were mere boys,) and to strengthen the Garrison of Quebec, and the venerable old colonel and myself made all haste to join our regiment up the country. As my worthy old commander was a character, some account of him may not be uninteresting.  Donald McB was born in the celebrated winter of 1745-46, while his father, an Invernesshire gentleman, was out with Prince Charles Edward, who, on the unfortunate issue of that campaign for the Jacobite interest, was fain to flee to France... .

Military Resource Online At The Library And Archives Canada

"The British government stationed British Army regiments in Canada for its defence from the close of the Seven Years' War (1763) until 1871." [Library/Archives Page]

The Library and Archives Canada's suggestions for research in military records included the RG 8, C Series.  An example from that resource that is now digitized and online:

Source

Camerford, Pte . Jno.

Medal granted to his for action at Detroit.  1812.

c. 1202   p.22

Commandant At Fort Harrison

Major John T. Chunn was a Commandant at Fort Harrison.  His biography can be found here, at Fort Harrison on the banks of the Wabash, 1812-1912, online courtesy of Indiana University:

MAJOR JOHN T. CHUNN [was] issued an order May 10, 1816, transferring Major Chunn from Fort Knox, and placing him in command at Fort Harrison. This order instructed Major Chunn to remove government property from Fort Knox to Fort Harrison. This apparently was the end of Fort Knox as a government post.

From Sign At Fort Knox II, Near Vincennes, Indiana

Major Chunn had helped to build the Fort at the time of the Harrison campaign to Tippecanoe. He was then a Lieutenant in one of the companies of that army. He was appointed Captain of the Nineteenth Regiment of the U. S. Infantry, April 14, 1812. He was transferred to the Third Regiment on May 17, 1815. He resigned from the army June 12, 1821, after a long and honorable service. He returned to Terre Haute to spend the rest of his life, and leave a long list of descendants to honor his name.

General Jacob Brown Portrait

Source

Born May 9, 1775, in Pennsylvania; was the founder of Brownsville, New York; died February 24, 1828, in Washington.

Alexander Milliner, Patriot

"Alexander Milliner lived for 105 years, serving as a drummer-boy in the American Revolution, aboard "Old Ironsides" in the War of 1812, and again sounding his drum for recruiting efforts during the Civil War."

Source

NY Historic featured the Alexander Milliner home here.

Mr. Milliner is listed among the Last Men of the Revolution. A photo of Alexander Milliner published in Life Magazine can be seen here.

Source For Both