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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��CHAPTER XXIX.

WAR OF 1812.

War Preparations in the State — Conoition of the Frontier — Hull's Surrender — Disposition of Troops —Erection of Block-Houses— Sketch of Gen. Beall's Life — Organization of his Army — Scarcity OF Supplies — Beall's March — Camp Council — Meeting among the Troops — Gen. Harrison Arrives — His Speech — Gen. Beall's Difficulty with Gen. Wadsworth — Arrested, Court-Martialed and Acquitted — His Brigade Disbanded — The Expedition of Gen. Crooks and Col. Anderson — The Statement of John F. Rice regarding the Battle on Lake Erie and Death of Tecumseh.

��THE difficulties which led to the war of 1812 need not be repeated here. Early in the spring of that year, it was evident to Pres- dent Madison and the whole country that a war must ensue, and. more than two months before the declaration of war, the great State of Ohio was preparing for it. The command of (xen. Hull rendezvonsed at Dayton in April, and. while on their march northward, war was declared on the 18th of June. The arm}' was at the time passing through the Auglaize region.

3Iansfield, a little hainlet in the wilderness, was at that time on the extreme frontier border. There were few, if any, settlers north or west of it. The line of the new settlements then extended through Canton, Stark County, and Wooster, Wayne Count}, to Creentown and jNIansfield, the latter being the extreme out- post — located in the midst of savage tribes that had always been the friends and allies of .the British, and which, it was reason- able to believe, would again join the Brit- ish standard. Hence the uneasy feeling, the thrill of fear that ran through this region, when war was declared. Hitherto, for many years, the Indians had been peaceable and friendly, therefore the settlers had not thought it necessary to construct block-houses for defense, and, at the time war was declared, no

��block-houses were in existence on this extreme frontier line, where they were most needed. It was not until the surrender of Hull, August 16, 1812, that the pioneers began the erection of block-houses. Hitherto, the people had confi- dence in this army, feeling it would stand between them and their savage enemies, and the surrender came like a clap of thunder from a clear sky. Meanwhile, the militia of the State had been gathering in every direction ; the Governor, Return J. Meigs, and other offi- cers, were working hard to get the tirmy into fighting trim and get forward supplies. Upon the news of Hull's surrender, all the militia in the State Were moved forward to the frontier line. Col. Samuel Kratzer, stationed with his regiment aj; Mount A^ernon, was ordered to move forward to Mansfield. A company of men from Coshocton, under Capt. Williams, had preceded him and erected a l)lock-house on the public square ; another block-house was erected at the same time on the square by Capt. Shaffer, of Fairfield County. These block- houses sprang up as if liy magic all along the frontier line. One was erected on the Rocky Fork, three miles below Mansfield, at Beam's Mill ; another by Samuel Lewis on Clear Fork ; another by James Loudon Priest on Lake Fork. At the same time, or a little before, block- houses had been erected at Fredericktown and

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