OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The Battle of Marblehead Peninsula [4]
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
June 5, 1999
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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
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Last of article-- # 4

In previous installments, Mr. Kelley told of how American forces went to
Sandusky Bay, following the surrender of Detroit; show how they
separated for strategic reasons, and how they met with marauding Indians
in what was known as the Battle of Marblehead Peninsula.  This is the
last of four articles.

Attack--

It was a pleasant autumn noon when Sergt. Root and his 11 Guards moved
through the open woods of Marblehead Peninsula.  Without warning, 50
whooping Indians rose from the tall grass, fired a volley and dropped
from view.  In the lead, young Ramsdell fell dead.  John Blackmn of
Trumbull County was killed by raking fire.  One or two others were
wounded.

Ambush--

Cotton ordered a retreat of 1,000 feet, detailing Root and Rice, with a
few men, as a rear Guard. Rice, orderly Sergeant of the Company, later
returned with half the force to fetch the dead and wounded.  Ramsdell,
Blackman and Bills were interred between two logs and covered with
leaves and brush.  Cotten ordered the entire force to the south landing
of the Peninsula.
Its wounded in rough litters, the quiet column marched toward Sandusky
Bay.  The 40 men proceeded silently, fearing another attack.  The enemy
had not taken a single scalp, which the Redskns regarded as equivalent
to a defeat.  As in the morning, his men ranging the timber on the left.
As they rounded th trail of Middle Orchard opposite Johnson's Island,
two Indians appeared in the road.  As if surprised, they started to run
and the foremost men took after, heedless of their companions' warnings.
A moment later, the hidden Indian horde let fire.  Though they were not
150 feet away, concealed behind fallen trees, their every shot went
wild.  The ambush was on the right between the road and the river.
Seeking shelter, the soldiers fired in return,and five minutes of
irregular action ensued.  Hamilton's force arrived and their first
discharge routed the enemy.  As they retreated, the Redskins crossed the
road ahead of the troops and continued the fire.  Three of their number
had fallen.  Cotten and half the main column, sheltered in a log cabin
in the cleared orchard.  The rest remained on the scene continuing their
fire until Cotten and his 20 men were under cover.  Then thes 30
woodsmen, carrying their six wounded, rushed past the cabin to the
landing.  They found the two boats that were wrecked that morning by the
enemy. Attempts to plug the holes with clothing failed and the battered
force staggered on to the eastern end of the Peninsula.  Coffin on Cedar
Point, heard the firing, came to the rescue and transferred the men to
safety.  The wounded were sent to the Huron River while Lieut. Allen and
30 volunteers went to the relief of Cotton.  The reached him on Oct 1st.
His party was safe in the cabin, no enemy in sight, but beneath the
puncheon floor were buried Pvts. Mingus, Simmons, and Mason, killed in
the last brush near the building. Strippd and scalped,Simmon's body was
without its right hand.  In his breast was an Ivory handled knife of
Chief O'Mic, ancestor of John O'Mic, who was hanged on Clevelands Public
Square.  Mingus had fallen in the running fight and his brother carried
his body to the cabin.  Mason, who owned the farm on which Camp Avery
was pitched and who came as a volunteer, lost his scalp in the runnig
fight.
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