Description: George Crogham was born on 15, 1791 on Locust Grove farm in present day Louisville, Kentucky. His father was William Crogham of Dublin, Ireland, and his mother was Lucy Clark, sister of William and George Rogers Clark. After graduation from the College of William and Mary, Crogan joined the army in 1810. He fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe and served in Fort Meigs, located in present day Perrysburg, Ohio. He was promoted to the rank of colonel after his leadership in the battle of Ft Stephenson during the War of 1812. Fort Stephenson was located in present day Fremont, Ohio. Later he lead a troop that was defeated in the Battle of Mackinac. After the war, he resigned form the Army and became Postmaster of New Orleans. Later he became an inspector general of the army. He fought in the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War. He was married to Serena Livingston, grand daughter of Robert Livinston. George Crogham died of cholera in 1849 and was buried at the site of Fort Stephenson in Fremont, Ohio View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B15F01_055
Subjects: Sandusky County (Ohio); Fremont (Ohio); Fort Stephenson (Ohio)
Places: Fremont (Ohio); Sandusky County (Ohio)
 

Description: Two illustrations intended for publication in a volume of the Ohio Guide book series. The image on the left is Fort Stephenson, an American supply base near the Sandusky River in Sandusky County, Ohio. The fort was the scene of a battle on August 2, 1813, resulting in an important American victory in the War of 1812. The image on the right is titled "Drama." View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B15F01_039
Subjects: Sandusky County (Ohio); Fremont (Ohio); Fort Stephenson (Ohio); Drama
Places: Sandusky County (Ohio)
 

Description: Inscription on plaque in front of cannon reads: "Old Betsy. Cannon used by Major George Croghan against the British and Indians in the defense of Fort Stephenson. Aug. 1st and 2nd 1813." This image shows "Old Betsy" at Fort Stephenson at located at 423 Croghan Street in Fremont, Ohio, in front of the Birchard Library. Four boys standing nearby, studiously reading. Not long after the War of 1812 began, George Croghan became commander of Fort Stephenson. Located on the Sandusky River, the fort was important to Ohio's defense against the British. The fort consisted of three blockhouses inside a rectangular stockade. Croghan worked hard to increase the fort's defensive capabilities. General William Henry Harrison believed that the fort was located at a difficult place to defend and ordered Croghan to abandon it. But Croghan argued that, if his forces withdrew, Native Americans would cut his men off from the rest of the army. Before the two men could resolve their differences, British troops attacked the fort in August 1813. Despite the fact that Croghan had only approximately 150 troops under his command, the Americans were successful in holding off the British assault. In fact, Croghan's men were so successful that they crippled the British forces -- not one officer was left standing, and one-fifth of the British force was either killed, wounded, or missing in action. The Americans forced the enemy to withdraw from the area. The victory at Fort Stephenson came at an important time during the war, as the United States had few military successes. In addition to raising American morale, it also made Croghan famous across the country. President James Madison promoted him to the rank of lieutenant colonel as a reward for his service. Years later, the United States Congress voted to award him a gold medal for his success during the War of 1812. The site of Fort Stephenson is now part of the city of Fremont, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B09F10_041_1
Subjects: Cannons; Croghan, George, 1791-1849; Fort Stephenson (Ohio)
Places: Fremont (Ohio); Sandusky County (Ohio)