Crime and Punishment in the Northwest Army During the War of 1812

 

 Firing Squads became a common sight during the War of 1812 in Ohio.

In the early American Republic there was no ethos of professional military service like that of the modern US Armed Forces. The small professional army was a poorly paid and supplied organization. The War of 1812-1815 brought on an expansion from seven to over forty line regiments, the largest the US Regular Army would get until the 20th Century. Maintaining discipline among this diverse and inexperienced group of soldiers presented unique challenges for the young American Army. The United States Army remained a much less disciplined and professional organization than its opponent, the British Army. It's men had to be welded into fighting units in much less time than their European counterparts required (some British officers estimated it took at least three years to make a recruit into an effective soldier). The standard terms of enlistment for European soldiers could be as long as 25 years—and many men stayed in for life. By contrast the American soldier volunteered for a maximum of five years of service.1

Franklinton Newspaper Revisited

Is that musician wearing flip flops?

     

    Yesterday I spent a good two hours in the basement of the Worthington Public Library going through a microfilm reel from the Franklinton, Ohio Freeman's Chronicle published between 1812 and 1814. It's the same paper from which I posted a selection of classified ads two years ago. Although I didn't find many new things, I was able to immerse myself in the world of a frontier town two hundred years ago. There were some familiar names, like Goodale, along with many others whose names have passed from public memory. In 1812 Franklinton was still a frontier village--but the number of brick houses, taverns, shops, and the handsome courthouse belie the image of a crude settlement made up of log cabins (but there were certainly plenty of those). Even during the height of the British blockade in 1813 and 14 you could still get a number of luxury items, including Chinese tea and Caribbean coffee. The state capital of Chillicothe was a few miles south, and the future capital city--Columbus-- was a sparsely settled rise of land called Wolf Ridge overlooking Franklinton from across the Scioto River.

      What was most interesting was how connected the residents of the town were. News articles in the Chronicle were copied freely from other papers-- an early form of syndication or even aggregation like the Huffington Post. Irregular mail pouches from other towns brought the news of the world. What a time it was! Not only was the endgame of the great world conflict known as the Napoleonic Wars playing out in Europe, but news came from Turkey of the Russo-Turkish war, in Texas a group of American adventurers had invaded the Mexican state and captured San Antonio-- while other filibusters were taking control of Spanish Florida, Algiers was taking advantage of the wars to raid American shipping, and pirates infested the seas. Here are some selections of news and ads from those years:

A Card.

Mr. Huntington most respectfully acqaints the Ladies and Gentlemen of Fraklinton that, at the Court House this evening, he will have the honor to offer them one of the Entertainments he has recently exhibited in some of the principle Towns in the United States.

In the course of the evening Mr. H will deliver some "Hints to those designed for a military life," & introduce a number of patriotic effusions breathing as nearly as possible the spirit of the times, and several pieces of satire on the English officers and government.

To commence at 7 o'clock.

Tickets (50 cents) to be had at Mr. Brodrick's Bar.

October 20. 

Handle--Cash!

Notice is hereby given, for the last time, to all persons indebted to the subscriber, either by note or book account, to come forward immediately, and settle the same, as longer indulgence cannot nor will be given.

My iron's good, my work is just,

Times are so hard I cannot trust;

Therefore to save both suit & sorrow.

Pay to-day, and I'll trust to-morrow.

George Skidmore

October 24, 1813.

 "Deserted"

"When he went away he had on brown clouded linsey clothes, and a white hat, pretty well worn. Whoever will apprehend the said Hall, and deliver him to any military officer in the service of the United States, so that he is brought to Head-Quarters, or delivered to the subscriber, shall receive 10 dollars reward, with all reasonable charges."

John M'Wharter

Capt. 1st Regt.

Nov. 4, 1813.

 

 The Election for President & Vice-President of the United States, has terminated in favour of Madison and Gerry. Clinton had 89 votes for President, and Ingersol 86 (?) for Vice-President.

Congress are doing--nothing.

Dr. Eustis, alias Useless, has resigned (from being the Secretary of War). Rumor is busy respecting his successor. Armstrong, the author of the famous letter exciting the revolutionary army to mutinize against Gen. Washington (the Conway Cabal affair), will probably be appointed.

The Hon. Secretary of the Navy tipples as much as ever.

The heroic Gen. Smyth has immortalized himself by-----running away.

Gen. Dearborn has concluded not to invade Canada till a "more convenient season".

By HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT

 

A Proclamation

WHEREAS an evil ill disposed Frigate known by the name of the AMERICAN CONSTITUTION ...being instigated by one ISAAC HULL, and not having the fear of our good ship the GUERRIERE... did with malice afore-thought and evil intent, on the King's high Sea, commit assault and Battery on the aforesaid ship... and after having overcome her in single combat, did send her to a place known to mariners by the name of Davy Jones' Locker...

 AND WHEREAS we have reason to fear that none of our Royal frigates are able to cope with the aforementioned frigate called the Constitution, we, therefore, ...are pleased to make known to the captain of all our frigates on the American station, that, the less they have to do with the American Constitution, the better for themselves--and if they have to consult their safety by flight, no disgrace will be attached to them.

General James Wilkinson was in fact a Spanish secret agent... but I didn't know that was so widely known at the time!

In 1813, with wartime scarcity and inflation, 100 pounds of wheat flour was $57.14 in today's money (according to a dodgy online calculator). $12 was the average monthly wage of a laborer.

Christmas in 1812 and Columbus' First Night

This coming year is the bicentennial of Columbus, which was established in 1812 as the capital of Ohio. Since there was a war on that year, Chillicothe remained the state capital for several years.

What most people have forgotten is how the War of 1812 shaped the new town. Franklinton, a settlement that had been established in 1797 as the first white town in the area, became a boom town during the war as supplies and troops moved north along the Whetstone River towards the front lines in Northwest Ohio.

We have a few accounts of how Christmas and New Years Eve was celebrated by the troops:

Lt. Joseph Larwill's Journal-- "Friday, Dec. 25, 1812 This being the post day, I sent several letters to my friends... We enjoyed ourselves as much as possible, took dinner in camp with Capt. Cushing, Lt. Meek, Maddes, Doctor Marvin, and my brother Wm., had a fine turkey for dinner..."

"30th This day we prepared a march. In the evening get an invitation by the citizens to go to a ball at Mr. Broderick's. Capt. Cushing, Lieuts Meek, Maddes, and self go. Find two married ladies, 5 or 6 young women and two small girls. Number of gentlemen, say 30. The room was small where the ball was held. Sometime in the evening Doct. Marvin and brother Wm. came up but did not join the party. I danced 4 times. About 11 o'clock Capt. C., Lts. Meek, Maddes, Dr. Marvin, and self returned to camp."

"31st Prepare for march... Pay my bill at Brodericks. Find the charge for the ball which was $1.50. The whole bill was $6.00. They had charged for a bill I before paid. Return to camp, fire a fue de joue for the old year."

"January 1st, 1813 About 12 O'clock we march, all being in the high spirits. Fire the cannon 7 rounds. We cross the river below the town, had considerable of difficulty to get Need, a private, along--he being very drunk... We passed through the seat of government, Columbus."

Captain Daniel Cushing's diary-- "December 8th.-- From the first to this day we have been engaged in fixed the building for the artificers and putting down mill dams, and sending a boat up the Scioto, and repairing a flat to cross the river with public stores (the first bridge over the Scioto between Franklinton and Columbus wasn't built until after the war. It was a toll bridge, closed on Sundays except to people going to worship. The builder closed it even to them after a while, when it became apparent that too many "worshipers" were going to the Franklinton taverns! --DW). General Harrison left this camp for the upper Sandusky on the 9th with all his suite, and gave me full command of all the troops at this place. All things went on well until the 25th, Christmas day, when the devil got into the soldiers..."

"January 1, 1813.--I left Franklinton with my company for Upper Sandusky by the way of Worthington and Delaware... It commenced raining early in the morning--continued all day. We moved off the old camp ground at 12 o'clock, marched four miles, our two wagons, one ammunition, the other baggage; both got stuck in the mud and could not move any further that night..."

Old War of 1812 Map (1888)

A map that I found a while ago in an old Michigan historical text. The original was an odd size so I had to scan it in two parts and knit the two together. This map is mainly useful because it shows the Maumee Valley and sites from the 1812-1813 campaigns, including parts of Michigan, Ontario, and Indiana. Down at the right bottom corner you can just make out "Camp Franklinton": modern-day Columbus, Ohio.

Click for big version.

Classified Ads from the Franklinton Freeman's Chronicle, 1812-13.

Here are some interesting (to me, anyway) classifieds found in 1812-1813 issues of the first newspaper published in Franklinton, the Freeman's Chronicle. They range from legal notices, to real estate sales, to wanted ads for deserters and runaway slaves (the latter from south of the Ohio River...).

Tavern keeper John O'Harra was shutting his doors,and wanted his customers to settle their tabs. Remember, this was an era when coinage was scarce and you could pay for a newspaper subscription in animal skins. Apparently many of his patrons were officers of the North West Army, which had a large encampment in town that year.

A Franklinton "Best Western" 1812

New Tavern.

The subscriber begs leave to inform his friends and the publick in general, that he has lately opened a Tavern in the brick house of Mrs. Overdear, immediately back of the Court House in Franklinton, where he intends keeping a house of Entertainment for Travelers, or others who may choose to call on him. He intends keeping all kinds of liquors; his table shall be furnished with such as the country affords, prepared in the best manner; his bedding shall not be inferior to any in the country; his stable is large, and laid off into 24 different stalls, and shall at all times be furnished with the best of hay and oats.

The subscriber flatters himself, that from the experience he has had in that line of business, and the care and attention which he shall pay to the traveller, as well as his horse, that he shall recieve a large share of the public patronage.

Thomas McCollum.
Franklinton, May 8th 1812.
(from the Worthington Western Intelligencer)