Fort Seneca In Ohio

The village of Fort Seneca got its name from General Harrison's War of 1812 fort of the same name which was located in the vicinity. [Marker]

Fort Malden

From Ontario History, Fort Malden, called Fort Amherstburg on this early map.

The fort was on the Canadian side of the Detroit River across from Bois Blanc Island (also known as Boblo).
(The island was used by Tecumseh in the War of 1812).

John Backus In A 1793 Document Found In A War of 1812 File

The information found here gave me the impetus to search the War of 1812 resources on the internet.  I was surprised to find a 1793 document in War of 1812 papers, but there it was, and with a name I research (John Backus).

Didn't find John Backus on this image with "search" feature at Ancestry.com (which wasn't a surprise*).  The indenture document with John Backus's signature was Image #104 on the Ancestry file entitled Agreements for the Exchange of Prisoners of War, 1812, 1813.

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH, That John Backus Jacob deWitt Zachariah Huntington & Jabez Perkins......of the select Men of Norwich....with the advise of Andrew Huntington, Esqr Justice of Peace for New London County...do bind Thomas Williams, a poor Boy....Apprentice to Eliphalet Carew...book of Accounts and ..teach...art of husbandry
9 December in the 18th year of American Independence...one thousand seven hundred ninety-three (1793)...

Was it John Backus, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Tracy) Backus, who died 27 April 1814, and lived in Norwich, Connecticut?  Probably.

Even though I have three John Backus's in my lineage, it doesn't appear as though the John Backus in the document is mine (they were in NY by 1793).  All of the John Backus's (my 3 and the subject of this post) are descendants of the original immigrant, William Backus.


*Ancestry.com. War of 1812 Papers, 1789-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.  Original data: ‘War of 1812 Papers’ of the Department of State, 1789-1815; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M588, 7 rolls); General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59; National Archives, Washington. D.C.
This database contains a variety of papers relating to the War of 1812. The Returns of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War records are searchable by name. All of the other papers are only searchable by browsing the images.

William Hinds' Children

My ancestor, William Hinds, served and died during the War of 1812.

William Hinds' Military Pension 

[Source: The Pension Roll of 1835,Volume III,Page #672] 

William Hinds, Private, 2nd Reg. Artillery 

Washington Co. (VA) 

Heirs: Nancy, Samuel, Kesiah, Sarah & James Hinds 

DIED: JUNE 25, 1813 

When placed on roll: 5 Mar 1818 

Commencement Pension: 17 Feb 1815 

Ending of Pension: 17 Feb 1820 

Annual Allowance: 48.00 

Sums rec'd: 240.00

We know that William was "our" William Hinds because the names of his heirs (children) were identical to the children for whom Elizabeth (Acklin) Hinds was appointed guardian (Elizabeth's father or brother, Christopher Acklin, was a surety for the guardianship).

GUARDIANSHIP OF THE HINDS CHILDREN - WASHINGTON CO., VA From "The Historical Society of Washington County, Va., Publication Series II, No. 21 May, 1984,"Pg.14 Mar. 20, 1817 - Elizabeth Hinds named guardian of Nancy, Samuel, Kessia,Sarah & James Hinds, orphan children of William Hinds, deceased. Bond:$500. Surety: Christopher Acklin.

Richardson's Maps Of Michigan

Major John Richardson was a member of the 41st Regiment (Canadian) which was garrisoned at Fort Amherstburg, right across the river from Detroit.  Included in his book were maps of a theater of war.

Richardson's War of 1812: with notes and a life of the author, by Richardson (John, Major), contained a map of Michigan (with part of Canada included), a map of the Detroit river area, and also a map of Detroit circa 1812.

POW Records From The NARA

From the Fort Wayne (Allen County), Indiana, Library's publication:

Searching For War of 1812 POW's, by Delia Cothrun Bourne, mentioned National Archive Record groups
NARA M-2019 and NARA M-1747, that are both available at Ancestry.

War Of Poor Communication?

An educator's style blog made the following observation:

"The War of 1812 could be called the "war of poor communication." Two days before the declaration of war, Great Britain agreed to repeal the naval laws which were chiefly responsible for the conflict. Speedy communication would have also eliminated the greatest battle, the Battle of New Orleans that occurred 15 days after a peace treaty had been signed."

Lots of links.

Fort Meigs

Reconstructed fort near Perrysburg, Ohio:

The Museum and Education Center has 3,000 square feet of exhibits and artifacts - including soldiers' letters and diaries, weapons, maps, and uniforms - that describe Fort Meigs role during the War of 1812.

Fort Knox II Near Vincennes

It is quiet now, but this place once knew the sounds of drums, marching feet, and shouted orders.  William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, two men who later became President, were here.  Tecumseh, a great Indian leader, stopped on the river directly below this point.
Three military posts in the Vincennes area were called Fort Knox and protected the frontier region between 1787 and 1816.  They were named after Henry Knox, the first Secretary of War.  Fort Knox II was constructed by the United States Army in 1803 and used until 1813, when a new fort was built in Vincennes.

U.S.S. Constitution Museum

The U.S.S. Constitution has a museum dedicated to it at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

Whose Uniform?

From an exhibit at the NPS in St. Mary's, Georgia:

Specialization Ranks

From a paper entitled Short History of the Specialist Rank, I learned that the War of 1812 was the first time special insignia and uniforms were made for the specialists (engineers, medical personnel, quartermasters, etc).

Participants At The River Raisin

River Raisin Battlefield biographies can be found here.

Brownstown Bullets

Possible War of 1812 bullet holes in Brownstown Twp., Wayne County, Michigan.

Closer view

Remember The Raisin

Dedication of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park on YouTube.

NARA Genealogical Research For The War of 1812

The availability of Military Resources at the National Archives for War of 1812 participants is addressed an article by Stuart L. Butler, Genealogical Records of the War of 1812.

William Hinds At Province Island

The following notation

M. R. dated Province Island Barracks  October 23, 1812, present.  Died June 25/13, See Pension Case (Book 668) 

was found with William Hinds' entry at Ancestry, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1941.

Where was Province Island Barracks and what was its history?

Province Island Barracks was mentioned once in the History of Mifflin County [Pennsylvania].

In the 1820 census, it was grouped between Kingsessing Twp. and Fort Mifflin:

Pennsylvania (1820 census): Philadelphia County (Outside of Philadelphia City) Pt. 1. Includes Kingsessing Twp.; Province Island Barracks; Fort Mifflin; ...FHL US/CAN Census Area [ 181414 ]

The Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania explained some of its history:

Governor Printz, to secure the Minquas trade, built Fort Manaiung (or Manayunk) on Province Island at Kinsessing, thus controlling the kill or creek near the mouth of the Schuylkill by which the Indians reached the Delaware.

Also found in the Annals...:

The name of the island went from Fisher Island to Province Island to State Island.  Penrose Ferry bridge crosses from the eastern shore of the Schuylkill to the western shore of Province Island.

Province Island was near Fort Mifflin according to a site listing Pennsylvania Frontier Forts.

From the Pennsylvania magazine, information about Fort Mifflin and Province Island during the Revolutionary War:

William Hinds was my ancestor; husband of Elizabeth Acklin and father of Ann (Hinds) Rice.

Post-War - Perrysburg, Ohio

Following the War of 1812, settlers reestablished the river town nicknamed "Orleans of the North" thinking that it would become a commercial rival to New Orleans in the Louisiana Territory.  Built on the Maumee River, the town never reached its potential and was wiped out twice by spring ice flows.  In 1816 the federal government platted a new town higher on the bluff, and Major Amos Spafford named it Perrysburg, spelling it Perrysburgh.  In honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's decisive naval victory over the British fleet in Lake Erie during the War of 1812.  The main street was named Louisiana Avenue.  Wood county was formed in 1820 and included the town of Maumee, which separated in 1835 when Lucas county was formed.  Perrysburg was the county seat in 1823 until it was officially moved to Bowling Green in 1875.  Major Spafford died in 1818 and was buried on his land west of Fort Meigs.

Commodore Macdonough

Biography of Commodore Thomas Macdonough (1783-1815).

Commodore Macdonough as painted by Glibert Stuart

Archaeology At Point Peter

From the Cumberland Island National Park Service Museum's War of 1812 "Forgotten Invasion" exhibit:

"This massive piece of oak once sat at the bottom of Point Peter's well.  Buckets lowered into the well would rest on it instead of disturbing the silt and sand at the bottom of the well."  

The picture of the archaeologist digging in the well was featured in this publication.  The dig was chronicled here.  Here is a review of the historical and archaeological information regarding Point Peter and the St. Marys area.  A 2005 news article about the dig was featured at the MSNBC site.

William Tom And Kessiah Hines

William Tom was a veteran of the battles of Horseshoe Bend and New Orleans in the War of 1812.  His military service extended to the Republic of Texas and the Texas Rangers.  He is buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

William Tom's 2nd wife was Kessiah Hines -- I still wonder if she was Kessiah Hinds, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Acklin) Hinds and sister of my Ann (Hinds) Rice.  The Kessiah Hinds in my family and Kit Acklin, a Texas Ranger, were cousins.  Was it a Texas Ranger connection that brought William Tom and Kessiah Hines together?  Note:  Although I use "Hinds," the name can also be written as "Hines."

The information on the handout sheet was obtained from the office of the Texas State Cemetery during our visit there. 

Newcom Tavern In Dayton, Ohio

Newcom Tavern served as an Army quartermaster headquarters in the War of 1812 (see marker):

Photo Of Plaque By Jim

The War of 1812 In Video

Videos about the War of 1812 at the History Channel, including Dolley Madison Saves Washington's Portrait.

Dolley Madison Saves Washington's Portrait. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 1:48, January 3, 2012, from http://www.history.com/videos/dolley-madison-saves-washingtons-portrait.

NARA Records At Fort Wayne And Fold3

The Fort Wayne (Allen County) Library's E-zine, published an article by Cynthia Theusch regarding captured British goods and vessels during the War of 1812.  The records, Prizes and Related Records for the War of 1812 of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York 1812-1816, NARA M-928, are divided into three categories.

The series is also online at Fold3 (formerly Footnote).

British Plan Of Attack On New Orleans

From the Louisiana Digital Library:  (#101):

Plan of an Attack made by the British Forces -  January 8, 1815 

Pre-War Precautions - Stockade In Detroit

From The History Of Detroit And Michigan...:

"In 1806 and 1807 there was much disquiet at Detroit on this account, and a new stockade was built as a protective measure."

Note:  The British, some of whom were just across the river in Canada, had aspirations of reacquiring Detroit, territory that had been ceded to the Americans after the Revolutionary War.

The new stockade was built by Governor Hull and encompassed all of the grounds between the Cass and Brush Farms and extended to the fort.  There were gates and blockhouses on each side at Jefferson Avenue.

From The Early History of Michigan....
The eastern boundary of this stockade was along the eastern line of the Brush farm about where Brush street now runs. There was a gate on Atwater street near the present Pontiac depot and a blockhouse on Jefferson Avenue a few rods east of the present site of the Biddle House. The western line of the stockade ran along the eastern line of the Cass farm then known as the Macomb farm and the western gate was on Jefferson Avenue about one hundred feet below Cass street. The northern line ran about in range with the fort.  

In the spring of 1827 the stockade was removed and Fort Shelby was demolished.

General Harrison's Eyes Full Of Fire

From the Upper Mississippi Brigade website:

Shabonee remembered Harrison from this meeting [in Vincennes], and poetically predicted what would happen later:

I knew their great war chief, and some of his young men. He was a good man, very soft in his words to his red children, as he called us; and that made some of our men with hot heads mad. I listened to his soft words, but I looked into his eyes. They were full of fire. I knew that they would be among his men like coals of fire in the dry grass. The first wind would raise a great flame. I feared for the red men [who] might be sleeping in its way.

Meetings Held Here At General William Henry Harrison's Home In Vincennes, Indiana

Fort Osage

The 1st U.S. Infantry and Missouri Rangers at Fort Osage's short history in the War of 1812.

Fort Osage photo by Jim

Fort Osage was abandoned during the War of 1812 and was reoccupied in 1814.

A Cannon From "Old Ironsides"

A cannon from the U.S. Frigate Constitution displayed in Lexington, Missouri:

War Of 1812 Recommendations From LIT LISTS

Book recommendations found at Lit Lists with a link to the Wall Street Journal.

Erastus Tuttle Gravestone

Erastus Tuttle died at Clyde, Sandusky County, Ohio, and is buried at McPherson Cemetery.

Charles Askin Diary

 The diary of Charles Askin presented by the Clarke Library at Central Michigan University:

Charles Askin (1785-1869) served the British army in the War of 1812. He was the son of John Askin, a leading Detroit area business man. John Askin's home was on the Canadian side of the border, but Charles Askin had a sister on the American side in Detroit. After the war Charles Askin returned to his father's estate near Windsor.

A description of others in the Askin family.