HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE WAR OF 1812 AND MEXICAN WAR.
Though war with. England was not formally declared by Congress until June 18, 1812, history shows that a company of infantry was mustered in Fairfield county in the month of April of the same year, to operate on the northern border against the British. The company was recruited by the late General George Sanderson, with headquarters at Lancaster. When the company started for the frontier, it numbered forty-two; and was officered as follows: Captain, George Sanderson; First Lieutenant, David McCabe; ensign, Isaac Larimar; sergeants, John Vanmeter, John Smith, James Larimar and Isaac Winter; cor- porals, James White, Daniel Hudson, Robert Cunningham and William Wallace. Privates, George Baker, William Brubeck, Daniel Baker, Robert Cunningham, John Dungan, John Davis, William Edmunds, Reese Fitzpatrick, John Hiles, Christopher Hiles, Thomas Hardy, Philip Hines, Archibald Darnell, William Jinkins, Samuel Johnson, Isaac Finkbone, John Kerley, Joseph Loveland, John Collins, Charles Mar- tins, John McIntire, Jacob Monteith, James Monteith, Jacob Mellon, Daniel Miller, William McDonald, William McClung, Henry Martin, William Nelson, Joseph Oburn, Cornelius Post, William Kay, John Swiler, Daniel Smith, Jacob Sharp, Thomas Short, Samuel Work, Joseph Wheston, Henry Shoupe, John Huffman, Samuel Nolan, in all fifty-three. This entire company, with all its officers, was included in the sur- render of General Hull, when in front of Detroit, August 16, 1812, and were paroled by order of the British General Brock, then in com- mand of the post, not to take up arms against the British army until regularly exchanged, which exchange did not take place until in May, 1812. This surrender of the American forces under the command of Gen- eral Hull, including all the military stores and munitions of war within his department, was in violation of the best judgment of his officers, who solemnly affirmed there existed no necessity for it, and at the same time so enraged the soldiers, that subsequently many ot them disre- garded their parol, and re-enlisted. The majority of the Fairfield county men subsequently re-entered the service, and remained in it until the close of the war, including Captain Sanderson. In April, 1813, Captain Sanderson recruited a second company, partly from Fairfield county, and partly from Franklin county, Dele- ware county and the Western Reserve, numbering, when they struck tent to march to the front, one hundred and fifty-seven men. This company served until the close of the war, and was honorably dis- charged. The officers were---George Sanderson, Captain; First Lieu-112
tenants, Aurora Butler, Andrew Bushnell, John A. Mifford, Abraham Fish, Second Lieutenant, Ira Morse; Third Lieutenant, Wm. Hall; En- sign, John Vanmeter; First serg't, Chaney Case; Second serg't., Robt. Sanderson; Third serg't., John Neibling; Fourth serg't., John Dugan; Corporals: John Collings, Peter Cory, Smith Headly, Daniel T. Bartholomew. Musicians: John C. Sharp, Drummer; Adam Deeds, Fifer, Privates; William Anderson, Joseph Anderson, John Atkins, Joseph Alloways, Thomas Boyle, John Bartholomew, John Berrimen, Henry Bixler, Abraham Bartholomew, Samuel Bartholomew James Braden, Sheldon Reeber, James Brown, John Beaty, Eli Brady, Charles Berdinoo, John Batiere, Daniel Baker, John Burley, Thomas Billings, Daniel Benjamin, Henry Case, Archibald Casey, Joseph Clay, Holden Collens, Blader Cremens, Cliester P. Cabe, Nathan Case, Chancy Clarke, Almon Carlton, Stephen Cook, David Crosby, Jesse Davis, Asa Draper, Walter Dunham, Geo. Daugherty, Enos Devore, Benj. Daily, John Evans, Joseph Elinger, Peter Fulk, John Forsyth, Daniel Filkall, John Faid, Ephraim Grimes, William L. Gates, Elna- than Gregory, Joseph Gibson, Samuel Gause, John Hunt, James Hager- ty, Josiah Hinkley, John Hall, Fred. Hartman, David Hughs, Perlin Holcomb, John Harter, Jacob Headly, John Harbeson, John Icas, Am- brose Joice, James Jones, John Johnson, James Jackson, John L. Jack- son, John Kisler, James Kincade, George Kissinger, Jonatlian Kitts- miller, Samuel Kinsman, Joseph Lariman, Fred. Leathers, Henry Lief, Amos Leonard, Marinas Leonard, William Lauther, John McClung, John McElwayne, Francis McCloud, Hosea Merrille, John McClarky, Josh Merrill, James Moore, Joshua Mullen, Thomas Mapes, John Mc- Bride, William M. Clare, Henry Mains, Andrew Miller, John McCon- nell, Alex. McCord, William Harper, Isachar Nickerson, George Osborn, George Parks, Samuel Pratt, Powel Pain, Benjamin Berkhart, Luther Palmer, Arzell Pierce, John Ray, David Ridenor, William Reed, George Raphy, Elijah Rogers, Asa Rose, Joseph Straller, Henry Shad- ley, Christian B. Smith, Perry Spry, John Sunderlaud, Christian Shy- power, David Seress, John Seress, Henry Skolls, Ephraim Summers, Henry C. Strait, Jonathan Sordan, Jacob Shoup, Charles Smith, Myn- der Shears, Adam Senor, John Smith, T. Sharp, S. Shenor, G. Shad- wick, S. Taylor, J. Trorenger, F. Tesler, B. Thorp, F. Tucker, I. Thorp, J. Twadle, P. Vancleaf, I. Vanney, Thomas Thorp, J. Twadle, B. Thorp, A. Walker, A. White, I. Weaver, T. Wheatley, D. Walters, J. Wright, J. Welchaus, C. Wolffly, F. Williams, W. Wallace, A. Wilson, W. Watson, J. Young, H. Zimmerman, D. Zeigler, D. Wood- worth, S. Tyler, G. Tennis, L. Vanney, J. Wilson, I. Wheeler. The first company commanded by Captain Sanderson, and which marched from Lancaster in April, 1812, formed a part of Colonel Lewis Cass's Regiment of Ohio Volunteers. There was another company, which was in part recruited in Fairfield but of which very little infor- mation is to be obtained. The company was attached to Colonel Paul's regiment of Twenty-Seventh United States Infantry. They were honorably discharged at Detroit, in 1814. Accident placed in the hands of Dr. Scott an old blank book, which was pur- chased with a lot of odds and ends at the executor's sale of the effects of the late venerable John Leist, one mile west of Amanda, by a son of113
the late Williarn Graham, of Hocking township. It is a journal in diary form of a third company of Infantry recruited in Fairfield county, with headquarters at Lancaster. The company was commanded by Capt. Jesse D. Courtright; John Leist, First Lieutenant; but no other officers or other specifications of the constitution of the company are written in the memorandum. The record seems to have been kept by one, Samuel Taylor, probably an orderly sergeant. The Journal opens thus. "Rendezvoused at Lancaster, on the 26th day of August, 1812, for a six months tour on an expedition towards Canada." The record then proceeds in the form of a regular kept diary, giving particulars of the daily marches and encampments, until the Maumee country is reached, when it terminates abruptly with this brief paragraph. "General Harrison arrived at the rapids, and started next day with a thousand men, commanded by General Perkins, to reinforce General Winchester. They did not get far, when they met some of Winches- ter's men, who told them that Winchester's army was all taken prisoner, or killed." There was also a rifle company organized in 1812, numbering from eighty to one hundred strong, raised chiefly along Ewing's Run, and north of Lancaster, marching first to Upper Sandusky, where they were encamped for some time. What part they further enacted in hostile movements, does not appear. They enlisted for six months, and at the expiration of this time they were honorably discharged. This company was commanded by Captain David Ewing, Thomas Ewing, First Lieutenant and John Burton Second Lieutenant. To give a minute account of the part taken in the war with Mexico by Fairfield county, in 1846 and in 1847, at this late day, in the ab- sence of muster rolls, is almost impossible, nor would a specific detail of the particularities serve any special purpose to future history. But it may be said, that Fairfield furnished as many soldiers as any county in Ohio in proportion to her population, and that she was as prompt in responding to the call. There were two companies from the county. The first company left for the seat of war in 1846, and was commanded by Captain Wm. Irvin, with Aaron Julien as First Lieutenant. The com- pany went out full, and served one year, and was honorably discharged. They were in several sharp engagements, but did not suffer greatly. A few of their number died from disease. The second company started out in the month of May, 1847, sixty strong, and filled up at Cincin- nati. They were absent a l ittle more than one year, their return being in July 1848; they suffered some from sickness. This company did mostly guard duty. It was commanded by W. F. Furguson, First Lieutenant, W. Rice; Second Lieutenants, Alva Perry and Perry Steinman. The company was honorably discharged.114