OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Gen. Simon Perkins [9] *********************************************************************** 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 June 18, 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 *********************************************************************** nineth in series--- Even though Wadsworth had warned Simon of the additional dangers to the frontier and of the decision to fight for Detroit, he ordered Simon to remove the main body of his troops to a distance of eight to ten miles from the lake, because he was apprehensive that the position he had choosen for the camp might be a dangerous one. The fact was that Beall had not yet marched his troops as ordered, and Simon's forces were in a hopelessly exposed situation without any possibility of immediate reinforcement. Simon as ordered, moved his troops and stores back from Lake Erie to establish Camp Avery. Here the men began construction of blockhouses that Wadsworth said that if supplied with provisions and water and garrisoned by 75 or 100 men will repel 1000 Indians. Just how Simon was to provision and garrison the three or four such blockhouses he was supposed to build, Wadsworth did not make clear. For Simon had only about 250 men with him. " You will no doubt recollect, " Simon protested to Wadsworth, " that when I came here my expectation was to have with me a full Regiment and those well provided." In fact, Simon's situation was so alarming that he felt it necessary to obtain the actual number of his force, cautiously and to lead his men to believe they numbered four hundred. " You will no doubt be able to judge," Simon continued, "whether I can protect this part of the Country with a detachment of about 250 effective men, on the frontier of a powerful and numerous enemy, at least 45 or 50 miles in advance of any aid or succour." On Sept.16, Major Elisha Whittlesey, Aid-de-camp to Wadsworth, advised Simon that Wadsworth had decided to send two companies to Simon's assistance. But in the interim Simon was ordered to leave his forces under the direction of Colonel Richard Hayes and return to Cleveland to receive orders for raising his quota of 1,500 men Wadsworth had now been asked to organize to join the Northwest Army. From Cleveland, Simon was directed to return to Warren to arrange his affairs, which he had left so hurriedly to go to Cleveland's defense, and prepare for a winter campaign. Simon had no sooner reached Warren than he recieved a letter from Hayes telling him of difficulties at the Huron Camp: Indians had killed three men and wounded two of a scouting party; Beall had reportedly gone home; the men had plundered property they had been sent to Sandusky to recover; there were new cases of ague every day; the men were not equipped for a winter campaign; three men had deserted; and he had to organize the men into companies of less the twenty because that is as many as one officer can control of such beings as they are. Hayes's troubled letter was followed by another express from Wadsworth that directed Simon to return to Huron as fast as possible. " I expect before this, Fort Wayne has been attacked by a force of 2000 Indians and 300 Regulars and Militia from Detroit and Malden." What Wadsworth feared was an attack on the Huron camp as the enemy forces returned from Fort Wayne. And only Simon and his meager forces protected the Reserve, for Buell had still not marched and the Cleveland troops still lacked the needed equipment needed for the front. Simon arranged with Joshua Henshaw to handle his land correspondance, said good-by to the visiting Daniel Coit, and on the morning of Sept. 28, he left Nancy and their four children--a second son, Alfred, had been born in 1811--and he returned to Huron to lead men who had been cautioned by Wadsworth,on the eve of their departure for Huron: "It is of the first importance that friendship prevails among the troops and that you fall, not by the hands of each other. You are to each other friends and not enemies, embarked in the same common cause and the same interest in jeopardy." Organizing the Militia had been from its beginning in 1804 a dfficult affair in which Yankee-Pennsylvanian differences were often evident. The Yankees were particularly eager not only to be elected officers but to fill the Militia posts with their own men. In fact, the desire to elect Yankee officers over the Pennsylvanians at times led to unethical behavior; Caleb Ensign tells the story of the educated Yankees who offered to write out ballots for some illiterate Pennsylvanians and cast the votes for a Yankee candidate rather than for the Pennsylvanians' man. The Yankees wre also anxious to establish the military discipline they felt was essential to the proper functioning of the Militia. But the soldiers objected taking orders and sometimesappeared on muster days without their arms, contrary to orders. When they brought guns, it was difficult to keep them from firing without cause. Neither did the soldiers want to salute the officers. As a consequence, orders were steadily handed down about maintaining discpline among the troops and keeping any men but the sentries from firing their guns in camp. All these differences made it difficult to raise men for service under certain officers or to principle of the war, they did object to leaving their families unprotected against the Indians. The corresponence of Simon and Elijah Wadsworth indicates that rarely were the ranks filled by volunteers, although settlers reminiscing after the event liked to think the westerners flocked eagerly to the flag. And our " drum and trumpet histories of the war of 1812." Moreover, Simon's troops were still short of equipment; they even lacked flints for their guns. More men had been killed by Indians while he was away, and Buell's trops had still not appeared when Simon reached Huron on October 2. Buell's letters during this period indicate he was more occupied with making suggestions for action to Wadsworth than he was with marching according to Wadsworth's orders. And on Oct.2,1812, Wadsworth put Buell under arrest to await court-martial. Wadsworth named Simon president of the general courtmartial of Buell and charged Buell with disobedience of orders in not consulting with Simon, not informing Simon about the forces, not marching to join Simon, and with unsoldier-like conduct in not going " to the assistance of the troops at Huron after being repeatedly informed of their perilous situation." Buell pleaded not guilty at his court-martial. which began Nov.11 at what were the the headquarters of both Simon an Wadsworth at Huron. On Nov.16, Major Benjamin Tappan, Aid-de-Camp to Wadsworth, repoted that the court found Buell not guilty. The verdict was obviously a generous one. But after Wadsworth had ordered Buell released and his sword returned to him, he resigned. The verdict no doubt negated his authority; but in addition Wadsworth had indebted himself to the point of jeopardy in equipping the Militia. So , in a General Order dated Nov.29, Wadsworth placed his three Regiments under Simon's command. ********************************************* To be continued--