U.S. and 'Old Betsy' won war Aug. 1, 1913
Thursday, February 16, 1989

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Pix #1 - Last week's photo showed the "firing-end" of "Old Betsy." Today's illustration is the oposite end (on the right) which was pulled by a team of horses (or mules)when moving it in battle.

Pix#2 - James (Jim) Rowles, a retiree of Toledo Trust. Jim was with first National Bank from 1939 until retirement a few years ago. rowles became owner of one of the miniature cannons when they were made and it has been in the family ever since. Thanks, Jim, for your assistance in making this series of articles possible. Many readers kknow that Mrs. rowles (Millie) was alslo an employee at that bank for many years.

Pix #3 - Andrew Emerine (deceased), the President of First National Bank many years ago, and the person who had the minature "Old Betsy" cannons made at the time when Mel Murray wrote the story about it, from wihch this series of articles developed.

(Author's Note: Today's article is the second and last of a series of tweo that started last week, pertaining to the was between the British and the U.S., and the part that "Old Betsy," a famous cannon, played in the battle.)

Aug. 1, 1813, the British turned their gunboats into the Sandusky river from Lake Erie and were heading for the fort. The Indians were the first to be seen en masse across the river from the fort, but after a few thunderous blasts from Old Betsy, they were forced into hiding.

The British then arrived in their gunboats aand landed troops a mile below the form and demanded surrender. The British were told the fort would not be surrenderec unless they could no longer defent it. That arrogant rejection annoyed the enemy, and they openeded fire upon the fortification from both land and river.

Major croghan's forces successful

major Croghan responded by firing the connon from one location and then moved it to another location and fired from that point. The British assumed the Americans were armed with nmany cannons and were cautious in their attack.

The British on land attacked the fort and the rifles of the Americans opened on them at 20 paces, but the British kept coming at the farthest ditch and down into it, whereupon Crogham ordered Old Betsy to be fired directly upon the British regiment.

the groans of the dying in the ditch continued. Croghan ordered the wounded British to be brought into the fort to be treated by the compassionate Americans.

British were no match

At about 3 a.m., the British gunboats turned toward Lake erie and the Indians retreated in disorderly fashion. The victory had been won, thruogh ingenious planning and amazing operation of Old Betsy. Only one American lost his life.

It was said later that Oliver Perry would not have had the will to win on Lake Erie one month later, had he not been heartened by the gallant defense of Fort Stephenson by a youthful major.

the history of Old Betsy was not ended with the end of the War of 1812. After the war was over, the cannon was sent to an army storage center in Pittsburgh, to join other guns with less histotry and less glory.

Fremont mayor won "Old betsy"

In 1851m the mayor of Fremont, decided the gun should be returned to the city and asked the U.S. government to allow the city tio have it. The request was granted, byut warned that the correct gun would be difficult to identily. the historically-minded mahor found one of the vererans of the battle who remembered peculiar markings on "Old Betsy," and the old soldier traveled to Pittsburgh to obtain the gun for fremont.

Nearly lost ownership via shipping error

After identification was made, the gun was ordered shipped to Lower Sandusky, but owing to the confusions of sop many Sanduskies, the gun was missent to the city of sanduky. The citizens of that city decided to claim the gun even overh the protests of Fremont patriots. At this point a battle of the cities ensued and citizens of Sandusky decided to bury the gun under an old barn. Whether the residents of Sandusky thought the gun was important to them or if they just wanted to be cantankerous will never be known.

Fremonters learned of the plot, however, and proceeded to the burial spot, under cover of darkness, disinterred "Old Betsy" and triumphantly returned her to her rightful home.

Later, in 1852, a Methodist minister, Thomas L. Hawkins wrote a poem praising the gun and called it "Betsy Croghan."

What a colorful history for the old six-pounder!

For many years "Old Besty" was displayed on the front lawn of Birchhard Library, 1105 Exerett Rd. in Fremont. Currently, while that building is being remodeleld, it has been removed from that location but it will be permanently displayed again when the project is completed.

The End

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