As you read in the previous blog, the men at Amanda were preparing to go home. A company of 60 men led by Capt. Samuel Brier from Montgomery County had just arrived and prepared to take command from Hosbrook. The story continues.
Tuesday the 3rd August This morning clear & warm
At morning muster, Capt. Brier officially took command of Ft. Amanda. Today was an especially important day for Capt. Daniel Hosbrook. In addition to going home, today was his 28th birthday. The men returned their weapons to the quartermaster and by mid morning, most of Hosbrook men had left for home. The officers were among the last to leave including, Private Robert Irwin[1] the 23 year old corporal in the company.
Authors note
Schillinger wrote in his journal on this day; “Deliverd up our arms, etc.” implying that the weapons the men had while on duty at Amanda were government issue and not their own personal weapons. Makes sense on a couple levels, some men may not have owned a weapon and by having government issue, the caliber of the weapons would have all be the same. It is interesting however that if men were using government issued weapons, that means they'd be traveling home unarmed. Hmmmm
Schillinger, Davis and Hosbrook had originally planned to travel home together that day but to their unpleasant surprise they found that the horses they had planned to use were gone. Schillinger wrote; “some evil disposed persons having drove them off and we could not find them.” It must have been especially frustrating for him as he was still not feeling well. They asked the quartermaster for another horse but were told that only one was available so it was agreed that Schillinger would take the horse loaded with their baggage and meet them at the home of a man named Christopher Statler[2] two miles south of Piqua. Hosbrook and Davis left early taking the route to Piqua via Ft. Logan, perhaps hoping they might get a horse there. Schillinger on the other hand didn't leave for St. Marys until shortly after 2 o’clock. Arriving there around 6:oo that evening, he decided to stay the night there.
Wednsday the 4th August Clear & warm
Anxious to get an early start, Schillinger awoke left St. Marys around shortly before sunrise that morning which in 1813 was 5:38 AM. He arrived at Laramie’s around 9 o’clock and after feeding his horse, proceeded on to Piqua arriving around 4 o’clock that afternoon. He fed his horse and resting for a couple of hours, then proceeded onto the rendezvous point at the home of 26 year old Christopher Statler about two miles south of Piqua.[4] A short time later, while still at Staplers, Chandler’s brother-in-law Capt. Armstrong, arrived with a horse for him. It was getting late so the two men decided to stay the night at the Staplers farm; a very good idea.
Authors note:
Two weeks after Schillinger passed through Piqua on his way home, a renegade Indian named Mingo George and a teenage accomplice, murdered a man named Ross a short distance from the Statler home. The same day the murderers found Henry and Barbara Dilbone[5] and there three children working in the fields about 5 miles east of Piqua. They shot and mortally wounded Henry, chased down and tomahawked Mrs. Dilbone to death. Henry died later that same day. The children escaped unharmed. Mingo George was later apprehended and hanged for the murders.
Once again, the morning didn’t start well for Schillinger. When he went out to feed his horse, he found that the bars of the corral had been pulled down and the horse he had brought from Ft. Amanda, as well as the horse his brother-in-law had brought for him were both gone. Not wanting to wait around for Hosbrook and Davis as originally planned, Schillinger decided to leave as soon as possible to try to find the horses. He wrote a quick note of apology to Hosbrook and Davis and started south looking for his horses. Luckily he them about a mile from the Staplers.
Tuesday the 3rd August This morning clear & warm
At morning muster, Capt. Brier officially took command of Ft. Amanda. Today was an especially important day for Capt. Daniel Hosbrook. In addition to going home, today was his 28th birthday. The men returned their weapons to the quartermaster and by mid morning, most of Hosbrook men had left for home. The officers were among the last to leave including, Private Robert Irwin[1] the 23 year old corporal in the company.
Authors note
Schillinger wrote in his journal on this day; “Deliverd up our arms, etc.” implying that the weapons the men had while on duty at Amanda were government issue and not their own personal weapons. Makes sense on a couple levels, some men may not have owned a weapon and by having government issue, the caliber of the weapons would have all be the same. It is interesting however that if men were using government issued weapons, that means they'd be traveling home unarmed. Hmmmm
Schillinger, Davis and Hosbrook had originally planned to travel home together that day but to their unpleasant surprise they found that the horses they had planned to use were gone. Schillinger wrote; “some evil disposed persons having drove them off and we could not find them.” It must have been especially frustrating for him as he was still not feeling well. They asked the quartermaster for another horse but were told that only one was available so it was agreed that Schillinger would take the horse loaded with their baggage and meet them at the home of a man named Christopher Statler[2] two miles south of Piqua. Hosbrook and Davis left early taking the route to Piqua via Ft. Logan, perhaps hoping they might get a horse there. Schillinger on the other hand didn't leave for St. Marys until shortly after 2 o’clock. Arriving there around 6:oo that evening, he decided to stay the night there.
Wednsday the 4th August Clear & warm
Anxious to get an early start, Schillinger awoke left St. Marys around shortly before sunrise that morning which in 1813 was 5:38 AM. He arrived at Laramie’s around 9 o’clock and after feeding his horse, proceeded on to Piqua arriving around 4 o’clock that afternoon. He fed his horse and resting for a couple of hours, then proceeded onto the rendezvous point at the home of 26 year old Christopher Statler about two miles south of Piqua.[4] A short time later, while still at Staplers, Chandler’s brother-in-law Capt. Armstrong, arrived with a horse for him. It was getting late so the two men decided to stay the night at the Staplers farm; a very good idea.
Authors note:
Two weeks after Schillinger passed through Piqua on his way home, a renegade Indian named Mingo George and a teenage accomplice, murdered a man named Ross a short distance from the Statler home. The same day the murderers found Henry and Barbara Dilbone[5] and there three children working in the fields about 5 miles east of Piqua. They shot and mortally wounded Henry, chased down and tomahawked Mrs. Dilbone to death. Henry died later that same day. The children escaped unharmed. Mingo George was later apprehended and hanged for the murders.
Oh No Not Again
Thursday the 5th August Once again, the morning didn’t start well for Schillinger. When he went out to feed his horse, he found that the bars of the corral had been pulled down and the horse he had brought from Ft. Amanda, as well as the horse his brother-in-law had brought for him were both gone. Not wanting to wait around for Hosbrook and Davis as originally planned, Schillinger decided to leave as soon as possible to try to find the horses. He wrote a quick note of apology to Hosbrook and Davis and started south looking for his horses. Luckily he them about a mile from the Staplers.
A Real Gentleman With A Sore Behind
Along the way, he met two men from his company at Ft. Amanda both of whom were sick walking along the trail. He gave one of the horses to them and continued on. He continued on to Staunton where he arrived around 9 o’clock that morning, ate breakfast then continued on to Dayton. After dinner, he rode on another 12 miles to Mr. Tibbal’s where he stayed the night. This had been a very long day, especially for someone not feeling well. Authors note:
Schillinger rode 38 miles on horseback that day.
Friday the 6th
Around 6 o‘clock that morning, Schillinger arose and rode 12 miles, passing through Shaker Town[6] and arrived at the home of his wife’s uncle, James Norris. After breakfast the two men talked for about an hour and around 11 o’clock, Schillinger fed his horse and started toward home. He rode 5 miles and stopped at the White Horse Tavern[7] in Mason for a few minutes then on to the town of Montgomery where he stopped at the home of Mr. Weller. He unloaded Hosbrook and Davis’ baggage and after freshening up, started on home where he arrived shortly after sundown[8]. He wrote in his journal that he “found all well.” His six months active duty service to country was over.
Authors note:
The rode into Montgomery is Rt. 48. Leaving the Wellers home at 7795 Cooper Rd. Schillinger probably would have followed Cooper Rd. out of Montgomery south to where it becomes Blome Rd. Continue on to Drake Rd then directly south to Plainville. Some of that road no longer exists and others slightly reroute due to highway work.
The Weller Home 7795 Cooper Rd. Montgomery, Ohio
Home where Schillinger stopped on his way home from Fort Amanda
The last entry in Schillingers journal was a few lines from James Thomson’s “The Seasons."
“The Seasons Thus as ceaseless round the jarring world they roll, Still find them Happy Till evening comes at last serene and Mild, together down they sink in social sleep
Together freed their gentle Spirits fly, to scenes where
Love and Bliss forever reign – THOMPSONS SEASONS
[1] Biography
[2] The Statler home was probably located near intersection of Farrington and Piqua-Troy roads.
[3] The route followed St. Rt. 198 from Ft. Amanda to Wapakoneta then the Hardin- Wapakoneta rd to Piqua.
[4] Near the intersection of W. Petterson and Troy-Piqua rds. in Miami, County.
[5] Biography
[6] The old Shaker Village was located just north of the intersection of St. Rts. 63 and 741 west of Lebanon
[7] The White Horse Tavern was probably located near the intersection of N. Mason Montgomery rd.
And SR 42.
[8] Around 7:30 PM that evening.