- Allen
- Auglaize
- Crawford
- Darke
- Defiance
- Erie
- Fulton
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Henry
- Huron
- Logan
- Lorain
- Lucas
- Mercer
- Morrow
- Ottawa
- Paulding
- Putnam
- Richland
- Sandusky
- Seneca
- Shelby
- Van Wert
- Williams
- Wood
- Wyandot
Battlefield Park is a symbolic representation of fighting that happened over multiple days in multiple locations across the width of the Peninsula (now known as Marblehead Peninsula). This fighting is commonly referred to as the Skirmish on the Peninsula, and lasted over a 3-4 day period depending on when you consider the fighting began. It involved both local militia and Ohio Militia against a large group of Native Americans that had moved onto the Peninsula looking for food and killing any of the few remaining Americans they came in contact with.
Not far from this site is where Benajah Wolcott built his first log house and had been farming here. He would later be appointed the first lighthouse keeper on the Peninsula as it was called at that time. By late September of 1812, Wolcott's family had already left the Peninsula and the 50 year old Benajah remained for a time it was only long enough to bury his families valuables where they could be later retrieved. It would be Wolcott's deserted cabin that would play an important role in Skirmish on the Peninsula.
In September of 1812, 4 small boats being rowed east across Sandusky Bay by 18 Ohio Militia. There boats were loaded with dried beef and pork that had been retrieved from Fort Sandusky on the Sandusky River (where Fremont is today). As the 4 scows approached the mouth of the bay, a sudden Lake Erie storm forced the men and to take refuge on Bull's Island (now called Johnson Island). While the scow is a great river boat and can handle the usually calm waters of Sandusky Bay, they were no match for the waves that could be generated on Lake Erie. While here, the men were informed by locals that an unknown number of Indians had been active in the area. And only a few weeks before had destroyed a number of log houses on the east end of the Peninsula including a block house the local militia had built for defense.
Because of their small number, the Ohio militia men decided to just carefully scout the area and make a count of the number of enemy that might be here. They left a few men to guard the boats and the rest hiked the 8 miles across the Peninsula toward Two Harbors (which is now known as East Harbor State Park). Here they spotted a large number of Potawatami Indians sitting outside the Ramsdell farm roasting ears of corn and relishing stores of honey they found inside the farmhouse.
Joseph Ramsdell and one of his sons were among the men alerting the Ohio Militia that Indians might be on the Peninsula. From a good distance the militia could see 47 Indians, a lot more than they could defend themselves against, so they quietly retraced their steps back to Bull's Island. From here they rowed across the bay to Cedar Point and from there they rowed up the Huron River to Camp Avery.
At Camp Avery, despite the great number of sick, they were able to assemble a group of 72 volunteers. Among those volunteers was 17 year old Joshua Giddings who would many years later erect the stone monument that still stands here today.
It was early morning the following day when the 72 volunteers reached Cedar Point in the 4 scows. Here they unloaded their supplies and set up a forward base camp at Sandusky Point (where Sandusky is now located). Once everything was secure they set off across the bay leaving a small group to stand guard over the supplies.
The sun was just coming up when the force landed on the Peninsula just east of Bull's Island. Eight men were detailed to hide the boats and stand watch. The rest were divided into 3 groups. Two groups of 12 provided protection on the flanks of the main body as they began their march across the peninsula to Two Harbors and the Ramsdell farm. The main body was now joined by two Joseph Ramsdell sons, Valentine and John, with Valentine Ramsdell leading the march.
Not long after the main group had disappeared, several of those guarding the boats disobeyed orders and went about a 100 yards up from the shoreline where there appeared to be an orchard. As the men were picking the ripe fruit, one noticed a large number of canoes approaching from the west loaded with Indians. The men left guarding the boats were unable to see the oncoming Indians as they were positioned on the eastern side of Bull's Island.
Those in the orchard quickly made their way back to the other guards. Knowing they had little chance of defending themselves, they decided to take the two smaller boats rowing as fast as they could back to Cedar Point. In doing so they left the 2 larger boats behind still hidden in the bulrushes so those men on still on the Peninsula would have transportation back. For some reason however, the Indians made no effort to pursue the men rowing back across the bay. Instead the quickly spotted the hidden scows and sank them by puncturing their hulls.
As this was happening, the main body arrived at the Ramsdell farm finding it deserted, but the fire where the earlier scouts had seen the Indians roasting the corn was still. Since the Indians were not here, the main body continued on, leaving 10 men to gather up the already harvested wheat to take back.
Once the wheat had been secured they set off following the same route back to the boats. After less than a mile march they came upon a field of grass as tall as a man's waist. It was here the Indians rose up directly in front of them and fired off a volley at the men. Young Valentine Ramsdell was killed instantly. Another man was disabled. Orders were given to only fire when the enemy could be seen and to hold the position until the main body came back for them. The exchange of gunfire lasted about 15 minutes before the main group could bring additional fire upon the Indians. The Indians slipped away into the tall grass. Whether they were part of the group who had sunk the boats or not is uncertain.
It was decided before continuing, they would bury Valentine here to avoid having the Indians come later and mutilate his body. As the group approached the orchard the lead group spotted several Indians not far ahead moving west along the road. Some of the men immediately began to chase after but their comrades called for them to stop as it was mostly likely a trap, but it was too late. Another large group of Indians rose up from behind a ledge of trees that had recently blown over, and began firing, but fortunately non of the militia were injured. Another group of Indians suddenly appeared on the right which was between the militia and the bay.
Now the firing was irregular and coming from multiple directions. This lasted for a short period before the right flank guard arrived. It was noticed that the Potawatami firing had dramatically slowed and some could be seen crossing the road about 100 yards to the east. There was still sporadic fire coming from Indians. At this time Captain Cotton of the Ohio Militia had moved over to Wolcott's log house which was located on some well cleared land giving him a clear field of fire. While some of the men joined him, others remained lying in a prone position firing whenever they could see a target.
In all about 20 men had reached Wolcott's house. Another 30 or so of the militia moved on to where they had left the boats earlier in the day, but upon reaching the point could only see the two scuttled boats and the other 2 smaller boats were nowhere to be seen nor were the men left guarding them.
Across the bay at Cedar Point, Corporal Coffin and his guard of seven men had hearing the gunshots set off in their boats towards the point of the Peninsula, not knowing where the fighting was, he remained just out of rifle shot until the situation could be clarified. They remained here till they noticed some of their friends coming down to the Point carrying the wounded. Corporal Coffin's men immediately made way for the shore. One of the boats, which were much smaller, was loaded at once crossed over to Cedar Point then returned. Then both boats were loaded and again returned to Cedar Point.
Once both of the boats had made their way across the bay, Sergeant Rice was now the ranking officer in command. He had 8 men detailed as oarsmen and ordered to take the six wounded to the mouth of the Huron River. One of those oarsmen was Joshua Giddings. By this time night had fallen. As they rowed they kept listening for any gunfire, but all was quiet. It was after 1:00 A.M. Wednesday, September 30 when they reached an advanced post on the Huron. Here the men found an assistant surgeon who took charge of the wounded.
At that time Sergeant Rice advanced on to Camp Avery that night so the day's events could be relayed. Unfortunately during that night the men took a wrong branch on the winding river and got lost. Eventually making it back to Camp Avery as the sun was coming up.
Camp Avery's remaining inhabitants were so decimated with sickness, they were only capable of putting 30 men into the field and even those were ill nourished or near exhaustion from the previous 36 hours in the field. After all the preparations had been made the sun had reached its afternoon setting before they could get back underway for the Peninsula. Every man in the small flotilla of boats going back down the Huron understood there were friends across the bay who had not eaten, had been under constant threat of attack, and with no remaining boats had no way of leaving the Peninsula where they had been cornered.
At this point in the records, recollections and accounts get somewhat confused. It is clear that there were 37 men left on the Peninsula in Wolcott's log cabin and by the time help arrived they had been mostly without food for 3 days except for a few watermelon growing in the field along with some pumpkins. Those remaining in the house were at the time of the heaviest fighting, did not notice most of the men pass by as they made their way down to the eastern point of the Peninsula. When the fighting eased and the men inside the cabin came out, they feared the worst that those on the outside had either been killed or taken captive. Those that had made it to the shoreline carried their wounded with them. What is not clear is who came to those stranded on the Peninsula with help?
Because of the dire straits of those remaining at Camp Avery it was almost impossible for them to mount a rescue of the stranded at Wolcott's log house. It appears that when two officers at Black River received an express (written communication that was transmitted by the quickest means possible, in this case on horseback) that there were a number of men abandoned on the Peninsula and were under immediate threat, but that no rescue was possible from Camp Avery, these men set off to attempt a rescue. When they reached the mouth of the Huron River, there were two men moving their families to safety by boat. They requested their help in the rescue and they unloaded the boats. By the following day the had gathered a total of 14 additional volunteers to make their way across the bay for the house. Here they found 37 hungry men, but alive. Thus bringing an end to the Skirmish on the Peninsula.
According to Giddings later accounts of that skirmish, 3 of his comrades were killed during the latter skirmish, a local militia, Alexander Mason who lived along the Huron River who joined with Ohio militia in their trip to Ramsdell's farm. He was killed in the fight. Also killed were two men at Wolcott's house: Daniel Mingus and Abraham Simons (Giddings spelled his name Simonds). Once the fighting eased men inside the house pulled up some of the flooring and dug graves to bury their dead and keep them from being mutilated. The Indians found several bodies on the field including Mason. They stripped them, scalped them and even removed on their hands.
In the intervening years, various accounts were told of what happened on the Peninsula during those final days of September 1812. As can be expected, those accounts vary detail and come from the point of view of the person doing the telling. The most detailed account of this event came from Joshua R. Giddings. In fact, Giddings wrote several newspaper articles almost 30 years later detailing the events that he knew to be true. Although Giddings was a young man at the time, he was educated and could write and he had close contact with many of the men taking part in the skirmish for long periods of time.
It was Giddings understanding that those men involved would return to the Peninsula on the 50th anniversary of the skirmish. Remembering this promise, Giddings began making plans for that reunion 5 years or so before. It must have been with great sadness that he found none of those involved that he could find out about had survived. Knowing then in 1857 that there would be no reunion, Joshua R. Giddings purchased the stone and placed it on a piece of land where that fight had occurred. On it he had inscribed the names of 3 men Mason, Simonds and Mingus, the three men who were killed in the fighting on September 29.
Giddings did not know about young Valentine Ramsdell who was killed on the other side of the Peninsula or several other men who been killed earlier in the month when the Indians burned the blockhouse and the cabins.
Carved into the west facing side of the large stone marker, it reads:
In Memory of
Mason, Simmons & Mingus
Who fell near this place
in battle with the Indians
Sept. 29, 1812
____
Erected by
Hon J.R. Giddings
Jan. 1858
That was the inscription the Joshua Giddings who was here during this skirmish and it was his funds that purchased the stone and had the inscription made. In 1914 the United States Daughters of 1812 added a bronze tablet to Gidding's stone marker on the north side of the marker and added another stone tablet with the names of 8 individuals. The bronze plaque reads:
THIS MONUMENT
WAS ERECTED IN 1857
BY
JOSHUA R. GIDDINGS
___
THE LAND ON WHICH IT STANDS WAS DEEDED IN 1911 BY
THE KELLEY ISLAND LIME AND TRANSPORT CO., TO THE
NATIONAL SOCIETY
UNITED STATES DAUGHTERS OF 1812,
STATE OF OHIO
WHO PLACED THIS TABLET HERE IN 1914
The other marker lists the names of 8 American casualties. Since Gidding's marker only lists 3 of the 8 names, it was thought that these 3 were officers in the scouting party, but that is not the case. It seems that over the years a number of stories have been created from other stories that have led to some confusion as to who was here, who was killed and when they were killed. Also leading to the confusion was that earlier in the month another skirmish occurred here as well as just east of here. There is no record of where those 2 bodies were buried. It should also be noted that those men killed here during the second skirmish were given only rudimentary burials so the Indians could not scalp them. It would almost 2 years later before they were give proper burials. It is possible when those burials took place the earlier victims were included. It is known that Alexander Mason, Daniel Mingus, Valentine Ramsdell were local residents who took part in the fighting.
Those 8 names are:
JAMES S. BILLS
SIMEON BLACKMAN
MATHEW GUY*
ALEXANDER MASON
DANIEL MINGUS
EQUILLA PUNTNEY*
VALENTINE RAMSDELL
ABRAHAM SIMONS
WAR OF 1812
In 1914 the site where Giddings erected his memorial was donated to the state as a permanent memorial site. In 1937 the local chapter of the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 submitted a form request to have a free memorial placed on the site listing 8 names of those who died in the skirmish in late September. It was not uncommon to have multiple names on a tombstone, but it was uncommon to have a tombstone where there is no actual grave site. The government trusting the DAR group granted funds to create a new marker that was placed in that location. Several years later, for some unknown reason, the DAR added a correction to the tombstone with an additional marker suggesting an alternative spelling to Mr. Putney's name and that it was possible this man may have possibly fought in the American Revolution, but that his name was different than the one on the stone marker. This led to a clarification and a name change which now appears with the designation "1776 Equilla Puntney Also Spelled Aquilla Puntenney" on a bronze marker. Yet the only person serving in the War of 1812 with a name even similar to that was Aquilla Puntney of Franklin County, Ohio and he didn't die until 1878 and could not have possibly served in the Revolutionary War
Joshua R. Giddings
After the war, Joshua R. Giddings earned his law degree and over the years became an abolitionist, openly promoting anti-slavery opinions, working to help fleeing slaves on the Underground Railroad. Two years after he erected the monument located here in Battlefield Park, some citizens of Virginia offered a $10,000 reward for the life of Joshua Giddings, or as was reported in the papers, $5,000 for just his head.
Earlier in 1842, Joshua Giddings was censured by the House of Representatives because he violated House rules by introducing a series of resolutions defending a salve rebellion aboard a ship carrying slaves from Virginia to New Orleans where they were to be sold.
Mr Giddings resigned in protest, but then won a special election to fill his own seat in Congress.
In 1844, Joshua Giddings wrote a detailed account of the Skirmish on the Peninsula and published it in the Sandusky Clarion. In the mid 1850s Joshua tried to use his influence to contact all of those men that took part in the Peninsula Skirmish so a reunion could be organized as they promised each other. Unfortunately, he was the only living survivor so he erected the memorial for future generations in 1857. Joshua died just two years after the 50th anniversary of that engagement while giving a speech in Canada.
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