His Grandpa Decked George Washington

 Grandpa Decked George Washington

(and lived to tell about it)

Captain John Payne
1788 - 1854

Note:  Each time I look at this picture of John Payne, it's like looking back into history.  This is a man who became a lawyer at 18, led a company of cavalry soldiers in war at 25, was at the Battle of the Thames (WITH HIS FATHER), and later a politician and county administrator.  Does this face look like the face of a man who could lead a charge into battle.......Oh yeah!

John Payne was born on February 18, 1788 in Loudon County Virginia son of Duval and Hannah Innes Brent Payne.  The family moved from Virginia to Fayette County, Kentucky in 1789.  John received his law degree  at the age of 18 from the Transalvania University in Lexington in 1806. He was admitted to the Ky. Bar in 1809. He was a Freemason.  The John Payne Lodge #245 is named in his honor.

During the War of 1812, 25 year old John Payne led a company of Kentucky Light Dragoons fromn Bracken County, Ky.  Dragoons were the “shock troops,” horse mounted soldiers armed with sabers and blunderbuss who usually led the charge into battle to intimidate the enemy.  It was his company that stopped overnight at Ft. Amanda on their way to Ft. Meigs. 

John Payne was twice married, his first wife, Eliza Sprigg, died in 1810, less than two years after their marriage and three years later he married Letitia Whiteman.  Together they had 4 children; Duvall, (1820), Catherine (1823), Benjamin (1828) and Matilda (1832).  Duball and Catherine both died before their father. 

Leticia Whiteman Payne
1794 - 1852

In 1813, at the request of General Harrison, he organized a company of light dragoons, and joined the Regiment of Col. Johnson on 22 May 1813.  He was a presidential elector in 1836 and later retired from service as a Brigadier General of the Kentucky militia.  After the war he served as clerk of the Circuit and County courts in Bracken County, Ky. a post he held until 1851. 

John Payne's father Duval Payne

Duval Payne
1764 - 1830

John’s father had served as Kentucky State Senator from 1807-1811, and was a presidential elector in 1813, 1817, and 1825. He  was tall, with dark and piercing eyes and had a very commanding personal appearance.  A section of his obituary reads:

On the 21^st. Ult. At his residence in Mason county, Ky. Colonel DUVAL PAYNE in the 6^th year of his age.  His father was Mr. William Payne, a very respectable, high minded and honorable gentleman of Fairfax county, Virginia, the same who (as related by Ramsey in his Life of Washington) once, on a sudden quarrel in the Court House yard in Alexandria, struck General (then Colonel) Washington to the ground. 

Another story recounts this:

William Payne is a famous footnote in history. He is noted as the man who knocked George Washington to the ground with his hickory stick after an insult. Washington, after recovering from the blow, forgave Payne admitting he was in the wrong.  While on a visit to Mount Vernon with his son Duval Payne, George Washington introduced William and his son to his wife Martha Washington. Washington said, "...here is the little

man who had the courage to knock me down in the court house yard in Alexandria as big as I am."  

The Mount Vernon Chapter of the DAR erected a tablet in honor of the pall bearers of George Washington, one of which was William Payne.  Seems the Washington family in addition to being honest, also held no grudges.  

Letitia, John Payne’s wife died at the age of 58 at their home in Bracken County, Kentucky on Sept. 23, 1852.  John Payne died two years later at the age of sixty five on Jan. 18, 1854.  John and Letitia are buried in the Payne Cemetery near Augusta in Bracken County, Ky.  The cemetery is locatd near the intersection of Main St. and Heather Renee French Blvd.  Drive west  ¼ mile.  The cemetery is on the north side of the road. GPS:     N38°46'09.84”,W84°00’42.86

Graves of John and Letitia Payne

The March from Cincinnati to Fort Amanda

  Cincinnati to Ft. Amanda

Q: How did the men in Captain Hosbrook's company get from Cincinnati to Fort Amanda a distance of 131 miles?

A: They walked

Disclaimer: Todays blog is very long because it describes in detail, the route Hosbrook's company took from Cincinnati to Ft. Amanda with details of what was happening along the way. I've included the transcription from Schillingers journal along with my notes and maps showing the route they took.


If you haven't discovered it yet, I'm a stickler for details. Took me hours and hours to figure out who Schillinger bought a trunk from because the ink on the name is smudged. I had to resort to census records and old city directories to put 2 and 2 togther. For those want a little more "interesting stuff," you'll read about a man getting wounded along the way and a captain with severe diarreah. Anyway lots of details and I hope you enjoy what I put together.

Friday Feb. 5
Rendezvous, d at Cincinnati quartered in the court house

In 1813, the Hamilton County courthouse was located on the southeast corner of Fifth and Main sts. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The building measured 56 by 60 feet and the top of its dome was 120 feet above ground level. It had a spacious court room, several jury rooms and contained offices for the clerk, recorder, sheriff, county commissioners, and auditor. During the War of 1812, it was used as military barracks, until it was destroyed by fire in late 1813.

Satturday 6
Paraded at 9 oclock Number of Men exempted for various Diseases

Sunday 7
this Day weather fine Paraded at 9. Dismis’d to quarters, went home on furlough.

The distance from Schillinger’s home near Plainville to the courthouse in Cincinnati was approximately 11 miles. Using the times, distances he records throughout his journal suggests that his average travel speed was 3 miles per hour, making his trip approximately 3 ½ hours each way.

Monday 8
Returnd to quarters at 8 oclock Battalion Paraded at 9 oclock Number of Men exempted for Disability

Aside from obvious disabilities, a man could be disqualified for service if he had no front teeth. Teeth were needed to chew off the end of a bullet cartridge.

Tuesday 9
Grand Parade at 9. furlough’d part of our company home Appointed our Noncomission’d officers at night Made Company Muster Roll.

The Grand Parade was different from the typical morning parade in that Grand Parades were usually done in the presence of a Major officer of Dignitary or for a formal occasion.

February 10. 1813 Wensday.
Paraded at Day Light for Roll call all well but one Man, sick. 9 oclock Grand parade. Attended to Making Muster Rolls & Pay rolls 3 oclock got permission to go home found all well some rain

Thursday 11
Pack’d up My Close & prepared to return to camp Left home at 5 oclock arriv’d at Cincinnati at sun down - Weather Cold & Snowing - all well

Question: Schillinger lived in Plainville, 11 miles east of Cincinnati. He wrote that he left home at 5 o’clock and arrived back at Cincinnati at sundown. Sundown in Cincinnati on February 11, 1813 was 6:12 pm. While possible, it’s unlikely he rode the 11 miles in just over an hour. Could he have meant 3 o’clock instead of 5?

Friday the 12
busy prepareing for the march clear & cold

Saturday 13
Still prepareing Necessary for the march - cold

Sunday the 14.
This morning receiv,d orders to march at 10 oclock Bought a trunk for Miss Bux price 2.75 cents Clear & Cold at 2 oclock we took up our line of march, & March,d to the town of redding 10 miles from place of Departure & prior to marching we Draw,d two days Rations.

The individual Schillinger bought the trunk from was Lydia Boss. According to the 1829 Cincinnati City Directory, Ms. Boss operated a millinery on Sixth street between Main and Walnut. Her shop would have been just one block north of the courthouse where Schillinger was camped at the time.

The town of “redding,” should be “Reading.” The path they took was north on Main St. to Reading road (Rt. 42). Turning east, they followed that road to Reading 10 miles from Cincinnati.

Proximity of Schillingers quarters at the Courthouse and Ms. Boss' millinery

Their route out of Cincinnati was 5th street to Main, North to Reading Rd.

Cincinnati to Reading -10 miles

Monday the 15
at 8 oclock we again prepared to march & proceeded as far as lebanon 20 miles & took up our quarters at Sam,l Heatons Sign of the Cross Keys, this evening My Capt’n joined us

When they arrived in Lebanon, the men set up camp on the outskirts of town while Schillinger and Lt. Davis procured rooms at an inn called the Sign of the Cross Keys run by a man named Samuel Heatons. The building sat on the northwest corner of E. Main and S. Broadway St. in what is now a small community park adjacent to the famous Golden Lamb Inn/Restaurant.
For some reason Captain Hosbrook did not march from Cincinnati with the rest of his company. One explanation is that rather than having ride 35 miles to Cincinnati only to turn around and ride 35 miles back, a total of 70 miles, it made more sense to wait until the company passed through Lebanon.

Reading to Lebanon, Oh - 20 miles

Tuesday the 16
This morning provisions for one Day We was Detain’d in town this day waiting for our Baggage, one of the waggons arriv,d about 12 oclock In the evening on of Capt Garrets troopers of kentucky volunteers was wounded in the thigh by trying to surprise our centinel at our baggage wagon

Captain Garret was Captain Daniel Garrard. Garrard, was the son of James Garrard, Governor of Kentucky (1796-1804). He commanded a troop of Kentucky mounted militia from Clay County, Kentucky. Hobrook had posted a sentinel to guard his baggage wagon the night of the 16th. Apparently a prankster from Garrard’s company tried to sneak up and surprise the sentinel and being on high alert, when the sentinel heard a noise, he turned and fired, wounding the man.

Wensday the 17 of feb 1813
This morning (the Capt. & Lieut. being absent) paraded the comp,ny all well but one Man M. Strickland This morning Receiv,d by Mr. Tootens some close from home & with them My wifes Profile. 3 oclock this afternoon we got word that our Baggage which we was waiting for had took the road to franklin & we march’d at 3 oclock & mov,d 5 miles out of town & camp’d for the night.

“M. Strickland” was Mark Strickland and Mr. Tootens was Richard Tooten (Schillingers neighbor). Tooten brought Schillinger a “profile” of his wife. A profile was basically the silhouette of an individual’s face in profile, cut out of black paper and placed on a white background. It was then encased in either a locket or frame of some kind.
Campsite that night was near the intersection of Rt. 42 and Pekin Road.

Lebanon to the Campsite 5 miles from town - 5 miles

Thursday the 18
at Day light we again took up our line of march, at 4 miles, we stopd took our breakfast weather cold. At ½ past 2 oclock we got to Dayton 24 miles from Lebanon here we took up our quarters in the court house. A number our men which was on furlough joined us this evening.

The company continued north on Bunnell Hill rd. north for about 4 miles, to Five Points where they halted and, ate breakfast. They continued on Bunnell Rd. which becomes Sheehan Rd once it crosses Social Row Rd. The followed Sheehan Rd on to junction with SR 48 and followed that on into Dayton. Schillinger and the other officers found rooms in the courthouse while the enlisted men probably set up their camp in a wooded area east of the courthouse near present day Cooper Park ( 3rd and St. Clair Sts.)

While they were in Dayton, a group of men who hadn’t joined the others in Cincinnati, joined the company there.

Marched 4 miles and stopped for breakfast - 4 miles

Five Points to Dayton - 15 miles

Friday the 19 feb 1813
This morning weather Clear & cold The men are all well, at 2 oclock we loaded our Baggage & march,d out of town & cross,d Mad river 1 mile from the town & pick,d our camp.

They followed crossed the Great Miami near Keowee st. then set up camp near the intersection of Rt 202 and Warner Avenue in Dayton

Marched out of town - 1 Mile

Saturday the 20
Weather cold & Cloudy at 8 oclock we paraded our company all well but 2 Men sick - Wm Goldworthy and A stranger.

Two men in the company reported sick at roll call that morning, a man named William Goldworthy and another individual he did not name. No personal information on Goldworthy has been found to date (2015). It’s interesting to note that despite the relatively small size of Hosbrook’s company (<70) men Schillinger, the company clerk doesn’t know the man’s name. This makes one wonder if the officers in Hosbrook’s company did not fraternize with the enlisted men.

Sunday the 21 feb
This morning Cold & Snowing with some rain, This Day we waited on the Paymaster & Drew Pay for 5 of our men which join’d us here.

The monthly pay for a private soldier was $8.00. Pay for an Ensign was $9.00 and base pay for Maj. Gen. William H. Harrison was $200.00. Harrison also was reimbursed each month the amount $198.00 for his sustenance (food clothing and shelter). He receive an additional amount of $24 for the services of 3 waiters. Harrison’s total compensation each month was $422.00

Munday the 22 feb
This morning Cold and Cloudy. Paraded at 7 oclock. found 3 men sick Prepared to march at 10 oclock agreeable to orders at 5 oclock our Brigadier and suite came out and on parade the General read the articles & regulations of the armies of the U. S. & gave orders for us to march at 8 oclock tomorrow.

The Brigadier was Brig. Gen. John Wingate. The articles and regulations of the United States were similar to the Code of Conduct for today’s military personnel

Tuesday the 23rd of feb 1813

This morning very cold & Clear our men who was sick getting better 9 oclock no orders for Marching our Commissary not being prepar,d to furnish the necessary provisions for our men to march with ½ past 2 oclock got our provisions & Struck our e& march,d 9 miles to the fallen timber & took up our camp. (Camp Mills)

The company was delayed until their rations arrived. Once received, they loaded their gear on their baggage wagon and marched to an area they called Camp Mills in honor of the Colonel James Mills of the First Regiment of Ohio Militia. The encampment was probably located near the intersection of Rt. 202 and Rt. 40 near the village of Phoneton, Ohio

Marched to Camp Mills - 9 miles

Wensday the 24
at 7 oclock this morning we all struck our tents march,d 7 miles to honey creek halted A few minutes, proceed to Staunton 5 miles from thence 8 miles to Piqua. Cros,d the Big Miamia to washington march,d out of town ½ mile to the woods & Camp,d for the night weather moderated some snow yet laying on the ground.

The company continued on through the village of Staunton then followed the Piqua-Troy Road north crossing the Great Miami River at Garnsey st. and continued on into the town of Washington (Piqua, O) and camped in the “woods” (Mote Park

Camp Mills to Staunton - 12 miles

Staunton to Washington (Piqua, Oh) - 8 miles

Thursday the 25
this morning we Drew 6 rounds of Cartridges to every man our Captain complaining of the lax One man sick, Daniels, weather moderate This day we Drew 3 days rations & march,d at 3 oclock 3 miles to Perrys Block house. Campe,d for the night. Camp,d in the hollow square weather very much moderate.

The sick man was Isaac Daniels. Captain was suffering from diarrhea.

Perry's blockhouse was located near the intersection of N. Hardin Rd. and SR 66. A hollow square encampment was formed in the shape of a square. Depending on the number of soldiers, each side contained rows of men up to 4 or 5 ranks deep. The flags, officers, horses, artillery and provisions were located in the center and provided optimum protection of men and supplies, especially the horses. If an attack occurred, the side engaged could open ranks and allow the mounted troops in the center to deploy quickly through the opening in quick pursuit of the enemy

Special note: Thursday the 25th had been an especially miserable day for Private Isaac Daniel and Capt. Hosbrook as both were ill. We don’t know what Daniels problem was, but poor Capt. Hosbrook had a severe case of diarrhea. Had Hosbrook been a student of history he could have minimized his discomforts by doing what another military leader in a similar situation had done 700 years before. While on a crusade to the Holy Land in the 13th century, King Richard the Lion Heart had a very severe case of diarrhea. Not wanting to slow his march and because it took time to remove his armor and undergarments, sword, etc, he had the back of his uniform cut out so he could “accommodate expediency.” Luckily for Capt. Hosbrook they only had to march three miles that day so he didn’t need to resort to such an extreme measure and had plenty of time to deal with his “issue” on his own time and in his own way. Either way both men should be commended for their intestinal fortitude and putting duty before dooty. Puns intended

Washington (Piqua) to Perrys Blockhouse - 3 miles

Friday the 26
This morning Clear & pleasant got notice to mount Guard duty today, Struck our tents & march,d at 8 oclock, halted at the 6 mile creek from the block house and proceed on to Little Loramies 5 miles thence to Loramies Station 4 miles on L Creek Camp,d for the night

At this point the company was following SR 66 headed north. They halted for a short time at the intersection of S R 66 and Houston Rd. before crossing the stream on the south edge of the village of Houston, Ohio. They continued on four miles, crossed the Little Loramie’s creek[1] then another five miles to Loramie’s Station where they camped for the night.

Perrys Blockhouse to Loramies - 15 miles

Saturday the 27
this morning Clear & pleasant Men all in high Spirits, March,d at 8 oclock Moved on to St. Marys 12 miles crossed the creek & camp,d on the Bank opposite of the Garrison

The garrison was Fort Barbee and it was located on the west bank of the St. Marys River in St. Marys Ohio (E. Spring st). Hosbrook's company camped the night on the opposite bank in what today is Memorial Park.

Loramies Station to St. Marys - 12 miles

The Last Leg of the Journey

St. Marys to Ft. Amanda

Sunday Feb 28
this morning Clear & pleasant Took a command of 30 Men at 10 oclock & March,d for fort amanda on ouglaise river arriv,d there at 4 oclock took command of s’d place Draw.d 2 days Rations, the Kentucky troops being Discharg,d, they Iluminated the fort this evening we had rain with hail.

Their followed Rt. 66 out of St. Marys to the spot where the road turns directly north (abt. 2 ½ miles). A continuous trail leading from this point to Ft. Amanda is no longer in existence, however sections of the road are. The original trail can be seen by drawing a line from the point where S R 66 turns north, I diagonally northeast to the Lock 14 road, then on to Mitchell road and on to Conant Rd, and finally from there to Ft. Amanda. The total distance from Ft. Barbee following the trail just mentioned is approximately 12 miles.

Schillinger met with the commander of the fort, Captain Thompson Ward who turned command over to him. Schillinger and his men camped on the “commons” which was probably the flat area on the north bank of the Auglaize and east of SR 198.

St. Marys to Ft. Amanda - 12 Miles

Arrival Sunday afternoon Feb. 28, 1813

Hosbrook's company had been on the march since Feb. 14 sleeping in tents pelted by wind, rain and snow. It had not been a pleasant journey. Now for the first time in 2 weeks, the men were about to move into cabins and as Schillinger pointed out in his journal entry of Feb. 27th, "Men all in high Spirits." I would certainly think so.

As I was working on the times and mileages of the company's trip to Amanda, I reflected back to my days in Basic Training when we had to march 20 miles one day. I thought to myself, "If I could have marched another 20 miles the next day and the next and the next like Schillinger did. After all, I was young, in great shape, eager and energetic so I could I think I could still do it............Nah!

[1] Newport, Ohio

Graves of Amanda and Her Sister Ann

Ann Eliza Pogue Garrison

1808 - 1838

Hannah Amanda Pogue was 11 years old when her father Robert came to Ohio in 1812 and built Fort Amanda. While her daddy was away in Ohio, it was her job to look after her younger siblings including her 3 year old baby sister; Ann Eliza. The two girls grew up together on a large plantation near Mayslick, Kentucky.

Ann Eliza was 19 years old when her older sister Amanda died on New Years Day, January 1, 1827. Two years later on June 23, 1829, four days after her 21st birthday, Ann Eliza married 32 year old Rev. Samuel Young Garrison.

Garrison an ordained minister was born in Mallard Creek, Mecklenburg, County, North Carolina in 1797, son of Samuel and Esther Garrison. Ann Eliza and Samuel lived their lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky where they had 4 children,

1. Robert Alexander Garrison b. 1830 named after her father (Robert) and her maternal grandmothers maiden name, (Alexander) and

2. Samuel Hopkins b. 1834 (named after his father (Samuel) and his maternal grandmothers maiden name (Hopkins).

3. John C. b. 1837

4. Gideon B. b.1838

On Wednesday, October 10, 1838, thirty year old Ann Eliza died. Indications are that she may have either died during or as a result of childbirth as her youngest son Gideon was born that same year.
Her sons went on to serve the south during the civil war and one became a high school principal.

Her widow Samuel went on to remarry a woman named Celia Mitchell. Samuel died in 1881 and Both he and Celia are buried in Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green, Kentucky

The stone is carved in script.

Epitaph

To the Memory of Mrs. Ann Eliza Garrison who departed this life Oct. 10, 1838
Beneath this tomb of faithful trust
Lies the remains of Eliza’s dust
Called by God to us most dear
Joyful she quit this dusty sphere
She bid to us a short farewell
Then rose to glory with Christ to dwell
In Heaven she lives where Jesus reigns
Happy and blessed in all those plains
And from the portals of the skies
Invites us ever upwards rise
To enjoy the bliss of heavenly love
Bestowed by Christ on all above
Then radiant saint enjoy thy rest
With saints and angels ever blessed
Till we shall join thy blessed employ
in that eternal world of joy
Keep her dear dust though sacred tomb
In sacred slumbers till Gabriel comes
And wakes with trump her sleeping clay
to join the triumphs of that day.

A Mother Weeps

Hearing the term "life was hard on the frontier," brings on a new meaning when you consider that on the day Jane Pogue buried her daughter Ann Eliza, who had already buried her husband and 6 of her other children and now she was burying her 7th child. By the time Jane died (1846) she had outlived all but 1 of her children.
Some dying in childbirth and others by either accident or disease. Only one, William Lindsay Pogue outlived his mother and died of natural causes in 1881 at the age of 87.

1800 Amy
1804 Robert (twin of Jane Isabella)
1827 Hannah Amanda
1827 Jane Isabella. (Twin of Robert)
1833 Husband Robert
1836 Robert
1836 John
1838 Ann Eliza.

Ann Eliza Pogue Garrison was buried beside her sister Amanda in the Pogue family cemetery near Mayslick, Kentucky. It all seems fitting that the two little girls who were inseparable in life during the darkest of days should rest beside each other for the remainder of them.

Ann Eliza Pogue Garrison

1808 - 1838

Hannah Amanda Pogue McDowell

1801 - 1827

Building Boats at Fort Amanda

One question that has plagued Ft. Amanda lovers for years has been, "What kind of boats did they build in the shipyard at Fort Amanda."  That's a good question because at the moment, no one knows.  One long held tradition was that they were large enough to help Commodore Perry float his ships over a sandbar on Lake Erie on his way to fight the British.  I doubt that actually happened as the watercraft from Amanda would have to have been rafts and even small rafts could weight up to as much as 2 or 3 tons.  What I'm presenting in this blog are my thoughts on what I think the majority of boats looked like and hoping others will put forth their ideas.  

What Types of Boats Were Built at Fort Amanda

Before we can answer that question, we need to consider what type of river the boats would be navigating.  Anyone who has ever canoed the Auglaize River from Wapakoneta to Fort Amanda can attest to the fact that you’ll spend a large amount of your time portaging because of the shallow water in spot.  Perhaps that’s why Anthony Wayne referred to the Ft. Amanda area as “head of Auglaize,” or “head of navigable waters”  because it’s  deep enough there to support watercraft, particularly those carrying heavy loads.  Another thing to consider is that fact that the Auglaize is a very winding river with a large number of hairpin turns and narrowing river widths.

Another question is "What kinds of tools were needed at Ft. Amanda to build boats?" Perhaps that question is best seen in the letter below describing the types of tools a group of boat builders were instructed to take with them on their next job.

                                                                                                Boat Yard Huron River

                                                                                                December 19^th, 1812

By your request I send you the following men and tools attached to my company agreeable to your orders on the 10^th Instant

                                                Robert S. More & Ely Edmonson & William Whiteman and John Forquer

                Men you will proceed early on the morning of the 11^th Instant with the United States waggon with _________ tools and other United States property to General Perkins Camp at Saint Duskey (Sandusky) and when you arrive there, you will report yourselves and tools to General Perkens or officer commanding.  At said camp, the following is the number of tools delivered by me for said party out of the stock of the United States tools that is under my care and ________.

List of tools and names as follows

2              Broad axes                                           2              Whip saws

1              Falling ax                                              3              files, one flat, one half round and one square

1              Top maul                                              1              Bevel wooden

2              Four planes                                           1              Inch and a half auger

2              Smoothing planes                                4              Chisels of different sizes

1              Jack plane                                             2              Iron wedges

2              Spike gumblets                                     1              Close tent

1              Roll                                                         1              Hollow plane

1              Iron square                                           2              Camp Kettles

2              Caulking irons and mallets                1              Hammer

2              Hand saws                                            1              Drawing house (Shaving horse?)

2              Auger screws and pod (?) ¼               1              Solel (?)

Shaving horse:                     Similar to a saw horse.                        

                        

Types of Boats

As I pointed out in a previous blog the boat building area was on the east side of the river a short distance south of the fort in the area of the present day canoe livery.  Mounds used for constructing boats were still visible into the 1970s, but all traces of them are now gone.   

We know that they used canoes/pirogues to travel back and forth between forts and for transporting small quantities of materials, however, Ft. Amanda was being used to ship large quantities on a regular basis to the forts to the north.  They needed something much larger than canoes for that purpose.  While the soldiers at Ft. amanda were involved in building boats, the majority of the work was performed by civilian contractors hired for that purpose. 

The Types of Boats

Schillinger also tells us on several occasions that they had to “turn” the boat.  The practice was once a boat was finished, it was literally sunk in the river for a few days then raised and “turned over’ emptying the water.  This caused the wood to shrink which helped seal space between planks making the craft more leak proof.  This of course leads to the question, how did they cut the wood into planks.  Two possibilities.  The first is that they created a saw pit.  A saw pit is exactly that, a pit.  One man stands at the bottom of the pit and another at the top and they use a large two handled saw to saw up and down, cutting the wood into planks.  There is nothing to indicate that such a pit was used at Amanda so another possibility is that the planks were cut elsewhere and shipped to Amanda where the men assembled the boats.  

I think we can rule out the possibility that the boatslooked like the Colonial Military Bateau shown in Figure 1 where everyman rowed.  Imagine the chaos and confusion of having to coordinate rowers on each side of the boat especially on a winding river.   Anyone who has ever rowed a boat with just one other person knows how awkward that can be.   Functional on a wide straight open waterway, yes, but functional on a winding river, personally I don’t think so. 

 

Figure 1

What about large rafts like the one in figure 2?  

Logs lashed together form the bottom and planks could be used for side rails for protection from snipers.  For the sake of argument, I used the following dimensions to calculate the weight of a raft using  6” diameter oak logs 20 feet long, and 18 logs lashed side by side.  This would create a craft 20 feet long and approx. 9 feet wide. Using oak as the wood, the weight of such a craft would be 6,300 pounds and I would argue that could be very difficult to maneuver especially in a winding river such as the Auglaize.  

Figure 2

Could the planks have been used to form the bottom and side rails of a flat bottom boat like that in figure 3.  

Yes.  The sides could be made of the planks and could protect the men from snipers  (higher than those shown in the figure below).  See Figure3.  While a craft of this type could carry more men and supplies one has to wonder if it would be difficult to steer on a small winding river. 

  

Figure 3

 Flatboats  Click on the "Flatboats" link.  Short video shows a flatboat being constructed and steered.

Another type might have been the type shown in figure 4 below.

 

Figure 4

While I believe that boats like that shown in Figure 3 were built at Amanda, and used primarily for moving large quantities of supplies, I believer the type shown in Figure 4 was the type used for troops transport.  Here's my rational.  Large, bulky slow moving crafts like the flatboat in Figure 3 can be used for supplies because time was usually not a critical factor.  Moving troops, however, especially large numbers of troops usually meant there was some sense of urgency so being able to move quickly and with minimum effort was essential.  In addition, the figure 4 craft was easily steerable by 2 individuals using push poles.  Canoes would have been available but not practical for moving heavier materials. 

How Large Were They

 As to the size of the boats built, perhaps Ensign Schillinger’s journal entry on April 27, 1813  can give us a clue that might answer that question. 

“ The boats 7 in number pushed of at 9 A.M. commanded by Capt Price of the regulars.”

Schillinger was referrig to a company of soldiers led by Captain Price that had loaded onto boats and left that day.  The number of men in a company varied throughout the war but the average seems to have been between 70 and 100 privates. Using an average of 85 plus 5 officers, means we’ll assume Price left Amanda with 90 men.  Schillinger tells us they used 7 boats.  There was no need to carry large amounts of food because they’d be stopping at forts along the way, (Jennings and Brown) before they got to Defiance, so they probably only needed 1 boat for  supplies.  This leaves 6 boats to transport 90 men or 15 men per boat.

If they used the type boat shown in Figure 1 with a man in the front and one in the rear with push poles, there would have been approx. 6 men on each side of the boat.  Now figuring 3 feet space for each man, this means the boat would have to have to have been at least 30 feet long.   Plus this configuration aligns with what Schillinger wrote about "turning the boat."

  

So the question is, “if the majority of boats built at Ft. Amanda looked like the one above  how many boats would Harrison have needed to transport 300 men?

On April 9, 1813 Schillinger wrote:

 All hand busyly employ,d preparing to Desend the River,  Making oars,

 etc.   at half past 11 A.M., all Embark,d. on one company of Regulars

one of riffle men and two of infantry makeing in all about 300 Men,

           

  Using the same equation used for Price’s boats of 15 men per boat and 1 supply boat for every 7, means that for Harrison to transport 300 men, he would have needed  between 23 – 25 boats.  Regardless of whatever the final number was, it was without a doubt the largest armada of watercraft ever to navigate the Auglaize River before or since.