Schillinger Preparing to go Home
While transcribing Schillinger's journal I found it interesting to note the differences in the style of his handwriting. He often underlined certain words as if to make a point, made comments that could be construed as sarcasm and in the examples shown below, what could be interpreted as excited. Figure 1 shows his 1st journal entry (Feb. 5) notice the small date. Figure 2 shows his May 14th entry, the date is larger. Now notice his entry from July 24, just 10 days before he is to start home Figure 3.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Monday July the 26th Warm & sultry
With their 6 month tour of duty coming to an end in a few days the men at Ft. Amanda began packing and loading personal belongings onto wagons to be shipped home. Privates Joseph Abbott and Thomas Patterson hitched up a team of horses to the baggage wagon and left left Amanda "1/2 past Meridian" (12:30) headed for Clermont County. There were 2 routes to Piqua from Ft. Amanda. The first southwest through St. Marys and Fort Lormie on to Piqua and the second past Ft. Logan and the Indian village at Wapakoneta then directly south on to Piqua. Abbott and Patterson took the southern route past Ft. Logan is unclear as the distance by either route is approx. 40 miles.
Authors note:
I believe the route from Ft. Logan to Piqua followed the Hardin-Wapakoneta rd. from Wapakoneta through the village of Hardin on south to where it passes the John Johnston farm northwest of Piqua. This must have been an old established trail because Colonel John Hardin was murdered by Indians in Hardin while traveling on it during a peace mission for George Washington in 1792.
Schillinger Ill Again
When Schillinger work up that morning, he wrote that he wrote that he had a “very severe turn of the face & headache.” Must have been discouraging as he had been ill when he went home in May.Meanwhile at Ft. Meigs
Tuesday July the 27th This morning warm with light Showers During the afternoon Ensign John Tweed of Capt. Seton’s Company along with 5 or 6 men from Ft. Winchester came to Ft. Amanda on their way home. After a brief rest, the group, with the exception of Ensign Tweed, continued on their way to St. Marys. Ensign Tweed was very ill at the time so he decided to stay the night at Ft. Amanda.
Rumors were flying throughout the day from different sources that Ft. Meigs was surrounded by the British and their Indian allies and that the Port of Cleveland had been blockaded by the British Navy, neither of which was true. It was true the British had attempted another siege on Ft. Meigs but it was short lived and without effect and as I wrote in my previous blog, Proctor was already setting his sights on Ft. Stephenson[1] 30 miles to the southeast.
Last Minute Paperwork
Wensday July the 28t This morning Clear & pleasant Still quite ill, Ensign Tweed left early in the day for St. Marys. Schillinger, still under the weaher worked on finishing up his final reports including accounting for provisions and rations distributed at Amanda and noted in his journal that nothing of particular interest happened that day.
Ensign Schillinges Return for Rations Issued Mar. 24 - 26 1813
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Schillingers Return Reproduced in Excel
Thursday the 29th Cool morning
During the day two ox teams came to the fort from St. Marys to pick up meat for the soldiers there. Schillinger noted that he was feeling better than he did the day before and that his flu like symptoms and fever had passed.
More Than A Flesh Wound
Authors note:
When reading Schillingers entries about such mundane things like gardens in Wapakoneta, picking up meat for troops at St. Marys or canoes loaded with flour, it's sometimes easy to forget that there was a war raging less than 100 miles to the north and that northwest Ohio was still a very dangerous place. This is clearlyshown in Schillingers entry of July 30th.
Friday the 30th this morning clear
Several men in Hosbrooks company were still quite ill. Three of the more serious were transported to St. Marys, 2 on a wagon and the third on a cart.
Around 4 o’clock that afternoon, Sgt. Wheelan of Capt. Van McHenry’s company at Ft. Jennings came to the fort and informed them that the Indians had wounded Kentucky militia Capt. Isaac Gray[3] a short distance from Ft. Defiance. Gray had been shot in the arm and later lost the use of it.
Dropping Like Flies
Saturday the 31st July Weather Clear & pleasant
A group of men with horses came to Ft. Amanda on their way to Ft. Winchester to bring back some of the sick at that place. Schillinger included in his notes that a man named Steele came to the fort from Ft. Jennings.
Sunday August the 1st Clear & warm
Lt. Davis and Sgt. Bradbury went to Ft. Logan early in the day to tend to business there. In the early afternoon, Capt. Benagh and Mr. Steel left for St. Marys. A short time later one of the men at Amanda who was still very ill was discharged to go home. Another soldier was sent along to help care for him.
Later that day Francis Duchouquet, the Indian interpreter came to the fort to draw more provisions for the Indians at Wapakoneta.
Authors note:
Its apparent from Schillingers that the situations at Amanda, Jennings and Winchester weren't just a few isolated cases of measles, flue, pheumonia, it was nothing short an epidemic.
The Replacement Company Arrives
Monday August the 2nd This morning warm
At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Capt. Samuel Brier and his company of approximately 60 men from Montgomery County arrived at Ft. Amanda to take over command.
Aug. 2, 1813 - Oct. 11, 1813
60 troops
Captain Samuel Brier
Commanded of Fort Amanda
August 2, 1813 – Oct. 11,1813
[Curious note: Why would Briers company be moved to Fort Amanda when its time of service was due to expire on October 11, only two months from the move in date?]
Brier, Samuel Captain
Lighty, Jacob Lieutenant
Hearton, Daniel Ensign
Miller, William Sergeant (1st Sergeant)
John, Joseph R Sergeant Ganasdol, Corneilus Sergeant Arnold, Samuel Sergeant
Heaston David Corporal Dodds, Matthew M Corporal Blair, Joseph Corporal
Hatch, Daniel Corporal Slagle, Conrad Musician Walker, Isaac Drummer
PRIVATES PRIVATES PRIVATES
Arnet, George Bay, William Blair, James S.
Brunbough, George Bucken, Michael Coffman, Jacob
Cox, William Crull, Daniel Casfidy, Simon
Cronn, Daniel Deiterick, Peter
Dice, Paul Enoch, John Edomes, Edmond
Coblentz. Jacob Gelelant, Emanuel Hester, George
Henry, George Harshman, Joseph Jones, Price
Kader, Phillip Kelsen, Daniel Lawrose, John
Lechlider, George Haman, Solomon McDonald, Archibald
McCreary, Nathan Overholser, Jacob Phillips, Thomas
Pettit, James Phlweyn, Charles Pickle, Simon
Reed, William Rickey, John Shelly, Jacob
Studebaker, John Statler, William Parks, Jacob
Swart, John Shively, Isaac Talbot, James
Wood, Ashbury Wolf, Jacob Westfall, John
Wood, Samuel Woodhouse, Henry
Authors note:
Mystery to be solved:Briers company was discharged on Oct. 11, 1813 and the only other company mustered into the field onthat date was that of Captain Ramsey’s company whose tour of duty was from October 11, 1813, till April 4, 1814. Did Ramseys group take over command from Brier?
Interesting: A pay voucher shows Captain Brier bought a pair of shoes and a pair of socks while at Fort St. Marys. Price was $3.00. Not bad.
Schillinger spent the remainder of the day coordinating paperwork with Ensign Daniel Heaston, his counterpart in Briers company. That evening, Schillinger finished packing. Tomorrow he's going home and it's going to be a frustrating trip.