OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The Battle of Marblehead Peninsula [3] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 June 5, 1999 ********************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio The Kelley Family Collections Newspaper article, Plains Dealer compiled by S.J. Kelley-- 1925 And Then They Went West by Darlene E. Kelley 1998 ********************************************** Third of Four Series In previous installments, Mr. Kelley told of the dispatching of forces to Sandusky Bay, following Hull's Surrender in the war of 1812 ad how those forces found themselves in danger of attack by Indians on the Marblehead Peninsula. This is the third of four articles. One-Day Battle-- The Battle of the Peninsula was fought in one day; but that 12 hours was an endless moving picture of Indians in canoes pursuing white men; of confident soldiers marching sturdily into a cunningly prepared trap and, with victory in their grasp, repeating it. Finally at the close of a bloody and surprising day, their forces separated but, victory still in their grasp, the tragic movie shows the main body of the white men retreating from a well won field, while a detachment that had bravely fought, a part crowded into a log cabin with no enemy in sight. The main column under Capt. Cotton was but an hour's march from their landing place on the Peninsula opposite Johnson's ( Bull's ) Island, when contrary to orders, Corp. Coffin took two of his men and the lightest boat from the bullrushes and rowed ashore in search of fruit. They found a orchard westward, nearly a third of a mile. Hardly when they started picking, when several Indian Canoes came down the bay, hidden by Johnson's Island. It was a war party. Coffin and his companions ran through the woods to the landing. Jumping in their boat, they pulled to the unsuspecting five men with the three boats, in the rushes.Tossing knapsacks and blankets into the two light boats, they left the two heaviest and with crews of four men at the oars, sped eastward. Skirmish-- They were not far away, when the Indians rounded the east side of Johnson's Island, and sighted them. Firing their rifles they pursued, but soon gave up the chase. With crews ordered to make the shore, if in danger from pursuit, the boats crossed over to Cedar Point. The Indians returned in their canoes, discovered the two abandoned boats near shore, cut holes in them, and sank them in shoal water. While this rapid scene was enacted, the troops marched steadily northwest, toward Two Harbors and the Ramsdell farm. At their head was Capt. Joshua Cotton with Lieutenents Ranney and Bartholomew. Right and left through the woods skirmishers kept abreast. None of them knew that the boats, their only means of retreat, were at Cedar Point or destroyed. In the lead young Ramsdell, acted as a guide. At his home, they found the ground scattered with remains of butchered cattle. Campfires still burned. It was obvious Indians had recently been there though there was no indication that they might return. The troops continued a mile west to a wheat field where eventually the whole command gathered. It was evident the harvesting must be done. All was peaceful. The enemy had left the locality, yet Cotton was not lulled to a sense of security. Cosidering the absence of Indians and settlers, he ordered a return to the landing opposite Johnson's Island. Sergt. Root and his small detachment of Guards were to remain a short time and finish reaping the wheat field. The main command was to march the mile east to the house and at 11:30 a.m., start south to Sandusky Bay. Completing their work, Root's Guards were to intercept the main body on their road, south. Root and his 11 marched as agreed, for three quarters of a mile. They were in tall timbered woods, where luxuriant native grass was waist high. Young Ramsdell was in the lead. Neither command knew that 130 of Tecumseh's savage warriors had crossed the Maumee after the surrender of Detroit. They had ravaged the Peninsula, driven settlers from their farms, and with all the treachery of their race, now were playing a murderous game of hide-and- seek. ***********************************************