The Adventures of Sergeant Alfred Brunson, part one: From Cleveland to Sandusky Bay

From the Memoirs of Alfred K Brunson, A Western Pioneer, or Incidents of the Life and Times of Rev. Alfred Brunson, A.M., D.D., Embracing a Period of Over Seventy Years, Written By Himself. (Cincinnati: Walden and Stowe, 1880.)

…I enlisted for a year in the Twenty-Seventh Regiment, United States Infantry, having the promise of being made a Sergeant, and being promoted as I might merit and vacancies occurred. But the first time I went to the recruiting rendezvous and saw what kind of company I was to be associated with, conviction, like a clap of thunder, stuck my mind that, “this is not the company Providence designed for you.”

The company was recruited in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio; and was marched to Cleveland, where it was organized, and I was appointed Orderly Sergeant. From Cleveland we went in open Mackinaw boats loaded with corn, to Lower Sandusky, or Fort Stephenson. I had command of one of the boats, having fourteen men.

The terror of the Lake and the coast, at that time, was the Queen Charlotte, and some gun-boats bearing the British flag. Our men were building a fleet at Erie, Penn., but the vessels were not yet ready for service. The British were said to be coasting near Sandusky Bay, and of course, every sail seen on the Lake was of a suspicious character, till her flag was seen. Every American vessel on the Lake, large enough to carry a gun, was purchased for the fleet, so that we had nothing afloat on the Lake but small crafts.

On our way, our captain apprehending no danger, observed no order, but each boat went as fast as it could be propelled by the oars. It so happened that I had one of the largest and most heavily loaded boats, and, of course, fell behind, sometimes nearly out of sight of the leading ones. Off Black River a strange craft was seen making in for shore in the rear of the forward boats, and just ahead of mine. We could see no flag, and we suspected that she was an enemy, intending to cut us off from the rear of the other boats.

I at once laid my plan to take her by a desperate stratagem, and apprised my men, who all agreed to act well their parts. She would hail us, of course, and demand a surrender, when we would pull the oars for her, as if to give up. This would put them off their guard. Our arms were loaded, bayonets fixed, and laid by our sides. I was to take my position in the bow of the boat, a man at my side was to jump on board the enemy when I did with our bow-rope, and tie our boat, while I defended him; and my other men were to follow as quick as possible, and we were to clear the deck by balls and bayonets before they could bring their big gun to bear upon us. But our bravery was not tested, for we soon saw the stars and stripes of the little schooner, which we found to be a trading craft, bound from Cleveland to Sandusky, and which accompanied us to that place.

In navigating this lake in open boats it was necessary to find a harbor every night; and there being no artificial ones at this time, the only harbors on our route were the mouths of the rivers; and whether we could get our boats into them or not, depended upon the stage of water in the rivers. When they were low, the surf of the lake would close up their mouths with sand, and when the rivers rose so as to cause a current into the lake, the sand would be washed away. It so happened that this was a wet season, and the rivers were so high as to keep the harbors open.

While at the mouth of Huron River a gale of wind sprung up, and we were detained there several days. We were now within ten miles of the entrance of Sandusky Bay, near to which a battle had been fought with the Indians, and our men badly whipped. We were aware that another expedition from Malden was about to visit our coast; but as the captain took no measures to send out a scout to ascertain whether the coast was clear or not; and, being tired of being idle, I solicited and obtained the privilege of going with fourteen volunteers to the outlet of the bay. We found the grave of one of Hull’s men who had died on his way home, after being basely sold by that officer. This fired our blood for a fight, if we should find the enemy; but finding no signs of him, we returned.

The wind dying away in the night, we left Huron and reached the bay at daybreak. On our way we saw the moon rising out of the lake, very red, and, at first sight, having the appearance of fire. This we supposed must be on the Queen Charlotte, which we understood was on the lookout for us. Accordingly we made preparations for a hot time of it with her boats; but the fright was soon over, as the rising of that orb showed what it was. These little incidents were of small importance only, but they served to introduce men to the war, and prepare them for more serious events.

Just inside the bay we stopped to get our breakfast. Here again we had a little further introduction to soldier’s fare. We drew our port and flour, but we had no camp equipage, not having yet reached our regiment. We kindled fires of drift-wood found on the beach. We took the flour, some on pieces of bark, and some in dirty pocket handkerchiefs. If we had cups, we ladled the water from the bay into the flour, and those who had no cups lifted the water with their two hands so arranged as to form a cup. The flour thus wet, without salt, yeast, or shortening, was baked, some on pieces of bark before the fire, hoe-cake or johnny-cake fashion; and some removed the fire and put the dough into the hot sand, wrapped in leaves or paper. Our pork we cooked in the blaze of the fire, on the points of sticks. Having a good appetite, I thought the bread baked in the hot sand was very sweet, and the pork very palatable.

We reached the mouth of Sandusky River, at the head of the bay, just at night, and took supper on the first dry ground we came to. The officers thought it safer to row all night, or till we reached the fort, eighteen miles further, than to camp and be exposed to an attack from prowling Indians. I obeyed orders, of course, but it was my opinion that we should be much more exposed in the boats, and on the river, the sound of the oars giving notice of our whereabouts, than we should in camp, where all was still, and where, with a little work, we could have thrown up some temporary defenses. The river is seldom over one hundred yards wide, and our boats must be within range of muskets and rifles, with no defenses, while the enemy on the bank, and in the woods, would have all the advantage. But we came safe to the fort about daybreak, and got our breakfasts, with some bread from the fort. We were ordered into line of march with several other companies for Seneca, ten miles up the Sandusky River. 

Here, for the first time, I saw General Harrison, then the lion of the North-West, who marched with us to Seneca. He expected an attack on the way, and gave the necessary orders; but we escaped again. At Seneca we met our regiment, which had come in through the wilderness, and we soon got our clothing, tents, and camp cooking apparatus. Our guns and a stock of ammunition we received at Cleveland.