OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 702 Today's Topics: #1 Fw: Bio History-- Know your Ohio - ["Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <033c01bf0af6$aa42cb80$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: Fw: Bio History-- Know your Ohio -- War 0f 1812 --Part 16 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: kathi kelley To: Sent: Sunday, September 19, 1999 1:36 PM Subject: Bio History-- Know your Ohio -- War 0f 1812 --Part 16 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley Sept 19,1999 *********************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Know your Ohio by Darlene E.Kelley ***********************************************War Of 1812-- The Battle of Lake Erie-- Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, USN. Letter to Secretary of War US Schooner ARIEL, Put-In-Bay 13 September, 1813. Sir; In my last I informed you that we have captured the enemy's fleet on this Lake. I have the honour to give you the most important particulars of the action. On the morning of the 10th instant, at sun-rise, they were discovered from Put-In-Bay, when I lay at anchor with the squadron under my command. We got under weigh, the wind light at south-west, and stood for them. At 10 AM the wind hauled to south-west and brought us windward: formed the line and bore up. At 15 minutes before 12, the enemy commenced firing; at five minutes before 12, the action commenced on our part. Finding their fire very destructive, owing to their long guns, and its being mostly directed at the LAWRENCE, I made sail, and directed the other vessels to follow, for the purpose of closing with the enemy. Every brace and bowline being soon shot away, she became unmanageable, notwithstanding the great exertions of the sailing master. In this situation, she sustained the action upwards of two hours within canister distance, until every gun was rendered useless, and the greater part of her crew either killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer annoy the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieutenent Yarnell, who, I was convinced, from the bravery already displayed by him, would do what would comport with the honour of the flag. At half past two, the wind springing up, Capt Elliot was enabled to bring his vessel. the NIAGARA, gallantly into close action. I immediately went on board of her, when he anticipated my wish by volunteering to bring the schooner which had been kept astern by the lightness of the wind, in close action. It was with unspeakable pain what I saw, soon after I got on board the NIAGARA, the flag of the LAWRENCE come down, although I was perfectly sensible that she had been defended to the last, and that to have continued to make a show of resistance would have been a wanton sacrifice of the remains of her brave crew. But the enemy was not able to take possession of her, and circumstances soon permitted her flag again to be hoisted. At 45 minutes past 2, the signal was made for " close action." The NIAGARA being very little injured, I determined to pass through the enemy's line, bore up and passed ahead of their two ships and a brig, giving a raking fire to them from the starboard guns, and to a large schooner and sloop, from the larboard side, at half pistol shot distance. The smaller vessels at this time having got within grape and canister distance, under the direction of Captain Elliot, and keeping up a well directed fire, the two ships, a brig, and a schooner surrendered, a schooner and sloop making a vainattempt to escape. Those officers and men who were immediately under my observation, evinced the greatest gallantry, and I have no doubt that all others conducted themselves as became American officers and seamen. Lieutenant Yarnell, first of the LAWRENCE, although several times wounded, refused to quit the deck. Midshipman Forrest [doing duty as Lieutenant ] and sailing master Taylor, were of great assistance to me. I have the great pain in stating to you, the death of Lieutenant Brook of the marines, and midshipman Laub, both of the LAWRENCE, and midshipman John Clarke of the SCORPION; they were valuable and promising officers. Mr Hambleton, purser, who volunteered his services on deck, was severly wounded late in the action. Midshipman Claxton and Swartout, of the LAWRENCE, were severely wounded. On board the NIAGARA, Lieutenants Smith and Edwards, and midshipman Webster [doing duty as sailing master ] behaved in a very handsome manner. Captain Brevoort of the army, who acted as a volunteer in the capacity of a marine officer, on board that vessel, is an excellant and brave officer, and with his musketry, did great execution. Lieutenant Turner, commanding the CALEDONIA, brought the vessel into action in the most able manner. and is an officer that in all situations, may be relied on. The ARIEL, Lieutenant Parker, and the SCORPION, sailing master Champlin, were enabled to get early into action, and were of great service. Captain Elliot speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Magrath, purser, who had been dispatched in a boat on service. previous to my getting on board the NIAGARA; and , being a seaman, since the action has rendeed essential service in taking charge of one of the prizes. Of Captain Elliot,already so well kown to the government, it would be almost superfluous to speak; in this action, he envinced his characteristic bravery and judgement; and , since the close of the action, has given me the most able and essential assistiance. I have the honour to enclose you a return of the killed and wounded, together with a statement of relative force of the squadrons. The Captain and first Lieutenant of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE, and first Lieutenant of the DETROIT, were killed. Captain Barclay, senior officer, and Commander of the LADY PREVOST, severly wounded. Their loss in killed and wounded, I have yet been able to ascertain; it must, however, have been very great. Statement of the force of the British squadron; Ship DETROIT--19 guns-1 on pivot and 2 howitzers. QUEEN CHARLOTTE - 17 guns, 1 do. Schooner LADY PREVOST -13 do,1 do Brig HUNTER - 10 do Sloop LITTLE BELT - 3 do Schooner CHIPPEWAY -1 do, and 2 swivels, 63 guns. NOTE- The DETROIT is a new ship, very strongly built, and mounts long twenty-fours, eighteens. and twelves. Statement of the force of the United States' squadron; Brig LAWRENCE -- 20 guns NIAGARA --20 do CALEDONIA -- 3 do Schooner ARIEL -- 4 do [1 burst early in action ]. SCORPION --2 do SOMERS --2 do, and 2 swivels Sloop TRIPPE --1 do Schooner TYGRESS --1 do PORCUPINE --1 do 54 guns. The exact number of the enemy's force, has not been ascertained, but I have good reason to believe that it exceeds ours, by nearly 100 men. Sincerly, Commodore, Oliver H. Perry Put-In-Bay. ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 23:56:57 -0400 From: "Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <034301bf0af7$d7a55600$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: Fw: Bio History-- Know Your Ohio -- The Sinking of the Sultana pt 2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: kathi kelley To: Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 2:23 PM Subject: Bio History-- Know Your Ohio -- The Sinking of the Sultana pt 2 Contributed for the use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley Sept 28,1999 *********************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Newspaper Article by S.J. Kelly -- Plain Dealer Know your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley ********************************************** Continuation of the sinking of the Sultana. Part 2-- The Sultana could not have carried another human being but somehow she got clear of the wharf and went pulling upstream, breasting a current made stronger than usual by the river's flood stage. Captain Mason seemed to be a bit worried. He cautioned the men not to crowd to one side of the boat when a landing was made, because there were so many of them, it might cause serious trouble. But for 48 hours after casting off the Vicksburg Wharf, the Sultana went on without trouble, making a few scheduled stops and on the evening of April 26th, docked at Memphis. Here some of the passengers disembaked. The hogshead of sugar were unloaded and some of the stronger ex-prisoners helped in the work, to earn a bit of pocket money. a number of the soldiers went ashore to see the sights and some of these, not knowing how lucky they were, saw so any sights that they did not get back by sailing time. While the Saltana was at Memphis, a leaky boiler gave more trouble. Again the repair gang was called in and the leak was repaired. It was close to midnight when the packet let go her mooring lines and crossed the river to take on coal. After this was loaded the Sultana went up the river, bound for Cairo. Most of the servicemn aboard were to disembark there. The current was strong and the Sultana was overloaded-- fearfully overloaded, with six times as many passengers as she had been designed to carry. The big paddle wheels thrashed the water, straining against the powerful current. One of the ship's officers later recalled that as they left Memphis he remarked " I'd give all the interest I have in this steamer, if we were landed in Cairo!" The soldiers, one supposes, were dozing. Two or three days more and they would be home again. Then they could sleep and eat and rest, and the terrible camp experiences could begin to fade into their memories. The war was over-- just a few more hours on this crowded steamboat, and they would be home. Midnight passed, and the Sultana kept on going. But by two in the morning, she was just a few miles north of Memphis. She was making progress, but progress was slow; the current was powerful, the boilers were tired, the load was much greater than usual. The Sultana swung ' round a bend and began to labor her way past a cluster of islands known as the " Hen and Chickens." Then it happened. The leaky boilers gave up. They really gave up! They quit holding the heavy pressure of steam and suddenly exploded with a tremendous crash that was heard all the way back to Memphis. The explosion sent an orange-colored flame boiling up into the black sky. A sudden stabbing piller of fire that lit up the black, swirling river and was visible for miles. Back at Memphis the watch on U.S.S. Grosbeak, a river gunboat saw the light and heard the noise. The Skipper was called, and he had them cast off the mooring lines and the Grosbeak went pounding up the river. Other steamers on the Memphis waterfront did likewise, hurrying against the strong current to give any help they could give. It was a loosing race. The Sultana had been half blown apart by the terrific force of the explosion. Hundreds of sleeping soldiers were blown bodily into the river-- snuggly asleep one moment, hurtling through the air into the cold black water the next. With them went great chunks of twisted machinery, a shower of red-hot coals that hissed and spurted as they hit the river and great fragments of wood,cabin furniure, railing, deck beams, half of the steamboat had simply disintegrated. One man was said to be thrown more than two hundred feet. By some miracle, he was not seriously hurt and landed in the river, floundered a few yards to a floating tree, clung to it and was picked up by the Grosbeak, miles downsteam. Three others were blown clear of the ship, a big piece of the afterdeck under them. Deck and men made a square landing seventy five feet from the wrecked vessel; dazed and still no more then half awake, the men clung to the wreckage until it floated down to Memphis where rescue boats saved them. Few of the returning prisoners fared that well. The water was icy-cold, many of them could not swim, and there was little wreckage to cling to with so many of them. Men died by the hundreds in the water near the wreck. They had been half-starved for months and were in no physical shape to swim even if they had known how. One man recalled afterward; " When I got about three hundred yards away from the boat, clinging to a heavy plank, the whole heavens seemed to be lighted up by the conflagration. Hundreds of y comrades were fastened down by the timbers of the decks and had to burn while the water seemed to be one solid mass of human beings struggling with the waves." For fire followed the explosion. The blast scattered hot coals from the furnaces all over the midships section of the steamer, and in moments the disabled vessel was on fire. The upper works were all collapsed, there was a huge , gaping hole in the middle of the hurricane deck and the flames were taking hold everywhere. To stay aboard could be worse then to be in the river, even if a man was too weak to swim. So men who had not been knocked into the water went there of their own accord, willing to face anything rather then the spreading flames. One man who clung to the wrecked upper deck wrote afterward: " On looking down and out into the river, I would see men jumping from all parts of the boat into the water until it seemed black with men, their heads bobbing up and down like corks, and then disappearing beneath the turbulent waters, never to appear again." The Sultana, of course, was totally out of control by now and was drifting helplessly downstream. The deck supporting the main rank of passenger cabins where the officers were housed, collapsed at one end, forming a horrible steep ramp down into the hottest fire, slid screeing men and a tangle of wreckage. The huge twin smokestacks, hallmark of every Mississippi packet boat, tottered uncertainly and then came crashing down, pinning men under them and holding them for the flames. The superstructure was falling in and the whole midships section was nothing better than a floating bed of coals. Survivors clung desperately to the bow and stern sections, which the fire had not reached and among them panic born, there started to cry: " The boat's sinking!" Many voices took up the cry as if it was a death chant and men who were yet unhurt began to throw themselves into the water, thrashing about frantically for some bit of wreckage that might help them stay afloat. Somewhere aboard the Sultana was a ten foot alligator in a stout wooden cage-- a man eater-- according to soldier gossip. One soldier bayoneted the reptile, rolled the wooden crate over the side, jumped in after it,and hung onto it until a passing boat rescued him. Hundreds of horribly burned and scalded men remained aboard the drifting hulk. Some had the strength and presence of mind to wrench doors or window blinds from their hinges, toss them overboard and jump in after them. Others simply huddled in the diminishing spaces that the flames had not yet reached and shouted , prayed or screamed helplessly for aid. Someone had gotten the steamer's lifeboats into the water and desperate floating men tried to struggle aboard. So far the flames had not reached the bow, and there most of the survivors were jammed. Then the wind shifted, or perhaps the difting boat swung around and took it from another direction, and the flames leaped forward. Most of the men prefered drowning to be burned alive, and leapt into the water. One an remembered, " The men who were afraid to take to the water could be seen clinging to the sides of the bow of the boat until they were singed off like flies." " Shrieks and cries fro mercy were all that could be heard; and that awful mrning reminded me of the stones of doomsday of my childhood," At last the boat struck a small island, where little groves of trees and some of those who were still aboard jumped ashore with ropes and made the hulk fast. Twenty or thirty more than managed to fabricate a makeshift raft from broken imbers, and cut loose just in time. Slowly, the worst of the flames died down, and finally with the moring ropes still holding what was left gave up the hopeless struggle and sank with a great noise of hissing and a huge pilar of smoke and steam rising toward the sky. Hundreds of men were found on both shores of the Mississipi, clinging to trees of driftwood, many of them badly burned and without clothing. Altogether between 500 to 600 men were taken to Memphis hospitals, Some 200 of these died soon afterward either from burns or exposure and general debility. For many days after the disaster, a barge was sent out each morning to pick up dead bodies. Each night it would come back to Memphis with its gruesome cargo. **************************************************************************** ******************* ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #3 Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 23:58:15 -0400 From: "Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <034a01bf0af8$062ad220$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: Fw: Bio History --Know Your Ohio -- War of 1812 - Part 17 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: kathi kelley To: Sent: Monday, September 20, 1999 8:47 AM Subject: Bio History --Know Your Ohio -- War of 1812 - Part 17 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley Sept 19, 1999 *********************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley ********************************************** Action on Lake Erie-- Letter from Captain James D. Elliot to the Secretary of the Navy. Black Rock, October 9,1812. This letter was before Perry's Battle of Lake Erie. Dear Sir; I have the honour to inform you that on the morning of the 8th instant, two British vessels, which I was informed were his majesty's brig DETROIT, late the United States' brig ADAMS, and the brig HUNTER, mounting 14 guns, but which afterwards proved to be the brig CALEDONIA, both said to be well armed and manned, came doun the lake and anchored under the protection of Fort Erie. Having been on the lines for some time, and in a measure inactively employed, I determined to make an attack,and if possible to get possession of them. A strong inducement to this attempt arose from a consideration that these two vessels and to those which I have purchased and am fitting out. I should be enabled to meet the remainder of the British force on the Upper Lakes, and save an incalculable expense and labour to the government. On the morning of their arrival I heard that our seamen were but a short distance from this place, and immediately dispatched an express to the officers, directing them to use all possible dispatch in getting their men to this place, as I had an important service to perform. On their arrival, which was about 12 o'clock, I discovered that they had only 20 pistols, and neither cutlasses nor battle axes. But on application to Generals Smyth and Hall of the regulars and militia, I was supplied with a few arms, and Genl Smyth was so good, on my request, as immediately to detach 50 men from the regulars, armed with muskets. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I had my men selected and stationed in two boats, which I had previously prepared for the purpose. With these boats, 50 men in each, and under circumstances very disadvantageous, my men having scarcely had time to refresh themselves after a fatiguing march of 500 miles, I put off fom the mouth of Buffaloe Creek, at 1 o'clock the following morning and at 3, I was along side the vessels. In the space of about 10 minutes, I had the prisioners all secured, the top-sails sheeted home and the vessels under way. Unfortunately the wind was not sufficiently strong to get me up against a rapid current into the lake, where I had understood another armed vessel lay at anchor, and I was obliged to run down the river, by the forts, under a heavy fire of round grape, and canister, from a number of pieces of heavy ordnance, and several pieces of flying artillery, was compelled to anchor at a distance of about 400 yards from two of their batteries. After the discharge of the first gun, from the flying artillery, I hailed ashore, and observed to the officer, that if another gun was fired I would bring the prisoners on deck, and expose them to the same fate we would all share;but not withstanding, they disregarded the caution and continued a constant and destructive fire. One single moment's reflection determined me not to commit an act that would subject me to the imputation of barbarity. The CALEDONIA had been beached, in as safe a position as the circumstances would admit of, under one of our batteries at the Black Rock. I now brought all the guns of the DETROIT on one side next the enemy, stationed the men at them, and directed a fire which was continued as long as our ammunition lasted and circumstances permitted. During the contest I endeavoured to get the DETROIT on our side by sending a line, there being no wind, on shore, with all the line I could muster; but the current being so strong, the boat could not reach the shore. I then hailed our shore, and requested that warps should be made fast on land, and sent on board; the attempt to all which again proved useless. As the fire was such as would, in all probability, sink the vessel in a short time, I determined to drift down the river out of reach of the batteries, and make a stand against the flying artillery. I accordingly cut the cable, made sail with very light airs, and at that instant discovered that the pilot had abandoned me. I dropped astern for about 10 minutes, when I was brought up on shore on Squaw Island- got the boarding boat ready, had the prisoners put in and sent on shore, with directions for the officer to return for me and what property we could get from the brig. He did not return, owing to the difficulty in the boat's getting on shore. Discovering a skiff under the counter, I put the four remaining prisoners in the boat, and with my officers, I went on shore to bring the boat off. I asked for protection to the brig of Lieutenant Colonel Scott, who readily gave it. At this moment I dscovered a boat with about 40 soldiers from the British side, making for the brig. They got on board, but were soon compelled to abandon her, with the loss of nearly all their men. During the whole of this morning both sides of the river kept up alternately a continual fire on the brig, and so much injured her that it was impossible to have floated her. Before I left her, she had several shot of large size in her bends, her sails in ribbons, and rigging all cut to pieces. To my officers and men I feel under great obligation. To Captain Towson and Lieutenant Roach of the 2nd regiment of artillery, Ensign Prestman of the Infantry, Captain Chapman, Mr John M'Comb. Messrs, John Town, Thomas Dain, Peter Overstocks, and James Sloan, resident gentlemen of Buffaloe, for their soldier and sailor-like conduct. In a word, sir, every man fought as if with their hearts animated only by the interest and honour of their country. The prisoners I have turned over to the military. The DETROIT mounted 6 six pound guns, a commanding Lieutenant of Marines, a boatswain and gunner, and 56 men- about 30 Ameican prisoners on board, muskets, pistols, cutlasses, and battle-axes. In boarding her I lost one man, one officer wounded, Mr. John C. Cummings, acting midshipman, a bayonet through the leg, his conduct was correct, and deserves the notice of the department. The CALEDONIA mounted two small guns, blunderbusses, pistols, muskets, cutlasses, and boarding pikes, 12 men including officers, 10 prisoners on board. The boat boarding her was commanded by sailing master George Watts, who performed his duty in a masterly style. But one man was killed, and four wounded bad, I am afraid mortally, I enclose you a list of the officers and men engaged in the enterprize, and also a view of the lake and river in the different situations of attack. In a day or two I shall forward the names of the prisoners. The CALEDONIA belongs to the N.W. company, loaded with furs, worth I understand $200,000. ********************************************* Part 18 to follow-- -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #702 *******************************************