THE FARMCR'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



1C9 



03' For tiie following sketch we are indubled to 

 a gsntlciiiaii who has travelled in the West and ta- 

 ken minutes ui' occurrences in tliat country in its 

 wilderness sr.ate. The gallant defence of Fort 

 Stephenson is yet fresh ill our recollection; and we 

 remember, as it' it were an event of yesterday, the 

 eliivalry of the youthful warrior and his daring 

 band. Our corresijondent, we understand, is in 

 possession of extensive manuscripts and mcivioran- 

 da either taken by liimself or by a father and uncle 

 who travelled much and observed whatever was 

 curiou? and worth recording. Now and then, we 

 trust, he will make the Visitor an organ of com- 

 nmnicatioii for such facts as may be connected 

 Vv'ith the growth of the country and its rapid ac- 

 cession of population and \vcaUli. 



Fer tile r.u liitM"s Muntl l\ Visitor. 



The Defeace of Fort Stephenson. 



Ui itl.TnU's alliia, Iist |Ti'Ud If gsnfls may lell, 

 ']'« tlifi jiory heiiilKs ul tjnn iusky wern led ; 



liy slripijiin's uriiis lulled, were ai^iiueied ui.d fell, 

 .And uioriung .thisc on a ruld of llieir dtud. 



Few achievements during the late war witli Great- 

 Britain acquired for'the actors a higher reputation 

 for chivalrous daring, llian the defence of Fort 

 Steplienson at Lower Sandusky in t!ie summer of 

 U'13. The North Western Army under the orders 

 of Gen. Harrison was then entrenched in a strong 

 camp about ten miles south of this post, awaiting 

 suoplies and reinforcements, then on tlieir way. 



The situation of the enemy at Detroit (after the 

 surrender of Gen. Hull) and Maiden, enabled him 

 to make descents upon any part of the Oiiio sliore, 

 at liis pleasure. Fort Stepiienson, a slight stock- 

 ad: upon the v.-cstern bank of the Sandusky, about 

 twenty miles from its mouth, was at this time, gar- 

 risoned by one hundred and fifty young volunteers | 

 from Kentucky (133 lit for duty) commanded by 

 Major Croghan, a stripling scarcely ,iil -years of 

 age . 



The settlement about tiie fort consisted of a few 

 log cabins upon the western liank of the river, 

 whose inhabitants had abandoned their all, and 

 sought protection in the American camp, or in the 

 more southern settlements. Major Croghan, at 

 this time aid-de-camp to Gen. Harrison, had re- 

 ceived orders to destroy the military stores and 

 abondon the fort ; but the chivalry of his Kentucky 

 spirit prompteu him to defend his post. Finding 

 that his troops were willing to sustain him to tlie 

 last, and excted with a desire to revenge tlie in- 

 human and cold blooded murder of h:s country- 

 men, perpetrated under British countenance, at the 

 river llaisin the previous winter, he determined to 

 uisobev orders and await the enemy. He sent an 

 answer to his General somewhat in these words — 

 " We think we can defend our position, and are re- 

 Bolvcd to make the attempt." 



The enemy was aware of the apparently defence- 

 less condition of tliis post and decided to reduce it. 

 On the second of August, (ldl3) Major Croghan 

 received information Irom his scouts, that a force 

 of GilO regulars and lOGO Indian warriors were 

 coming up the river, to attack his position; and 

 everv preparation to receive them, which tne time 

 would permit, was instantly made. 



Tlie fort was situated upcnan eminence, sloping 

 from a bend of the river on the north, and for some 

 di.stance running parallel with it, in a southern di- 

 rection. It was^ surrounded by a deep ditch, and a 

 j.alisade whicii was proof against musketiy. The 

 British landed in the afternoon about one hundred 

 rods north of the fort, and advanced along the 

 brow of the hill, flanked on either liand by the 

 Bivao-es, prepared to react the scenes of the river 

 Rais°n, An ofiicer who came forward with a flag 

 of truce to summon t!io garrison, was informed by 

 an ensign who met hir.i, a few rods in advjuce of 

 the fort, of their determination "to bury them- 

 selves in its ruins, rather than surrender ; and that 

 tliu enemy miglit do their worst." The olhcer re- 

 marked that General I'rocLor had with him a strong 

 force of regulars, and a large body nf Indians, 

 wliom he could not control; and that if tlie fort 

 was taken by assault, the tomahawk and scalping 

 knife would 'be the mildest weapons the garrison 

 need expect. The young en.sign (Shipp) turned 

 from him witli indignation, and was directing his 

 course towards the fort,, when an Indian sprang 

 forward, and endeavored to wrest his sword from 

 his hand ; but the daring Kentuckian buried the 

 blade to the hilt in liis body, and regained the stock- 

 ade in safet}'. 



A furious cannonade then commenced against 

 the north western angle ol the breastwork ; which 

 was immediately strengthened by piling against it, 

 bacfs of flour, and other materials, so that the shot 

 had little effect. At the opposite angle, which com- 

 manded the wh.de extent of the ditch upon the 



north, a si.v pounder, the only piece of ariiUery in 

 the garrison, was carefully concealed. . When the 

 British commander supposed a suflicient breach 

 had been made, he ordered the assault ; and Col. 

 Short entered the ditch at the head of a close col- 

 umn of infantry ; and gave the order, " forward and 



give the d d Yankees no quarter." Tlie words 



were scarcely ultered,when the six pounder, char- 

 ged to the muzzle, with slugs and musket balls 

 opened witli deadly precision upon his crovyded 

 ranks. The assailants were thrown into irretriev- 

 able confusion by this sudden discharge. Two 

 more from the same piece, with a constant and well 

 directed fire of musketry, cleared the ditch and 

 completed the rout of the enemy. Col. Sh<-rt fell 

 just as he had given his inhuman order for "no 

 quarter," and of those who entered the d.tch, 

 scarcely one escap."d unhurt. The Indians raised 

 a horrid yell at the first report of the cannon, and 

 fled to the woods. The regulars who survived, re- 

 turned to their boats, and at daylight, abandoned 

 their heavy baggage and retreated down the San- 

 dusky. 



Major Mu'r, who had figured at the surrender of 

 Detroit, fell slighty wounded, under a heap of his 

 dead and dying countrymen ; and lay in the ditch, 

 until nearly daylight, when he quietly effected his 

 escape, and joined his comrades. 



" The cries and groans of the enemy's wounded 

 and dying men," says one who served upon the 

 occasion, " rendered this the most hnrribh' iiiglit 1 

 ever passed. Tliose in the ditch were continually 

 calling for our assistance, which, while there was a 

 probability of another attack, we were unable to 

 render them. Their cry was for ' water' or, that 

 with our bayonets, we would put tliem out of mis- 

 ery. Several buckets of water were passed to them 

 over the pickets ; and after it was ascertained that 

 the enemy had retired, they were relieved." More 

 than 300 privates, many Indians, with a duo pro- 

 portion of oiiiccrs, were killed and wounded upon 

 this occasion. - 



This aft'air took place at the most gloomy period 

 of the war, and had a good eflcct upon the suc- 

 ceeding campaign. The same season witnessed 

 the repulse of ths enemy at Fort Meigs — the cap- 

 ture of their squadron upon Lake Eric — and the 

 total defeat of the British and their «///ci at the 

 Thames. 



Tl e victors 01' Kie rsatcd llic cross e.f Si. (.'»orfC, 

 ].,:I(L' a mtlHor of death, on .Miisiiii's wild slmre ; 



But tile ije.Trt of liie valiant did piliirie wn!ve..< gelo*^) 

 Who II their 5;a liegirt island sliall wtlconie no niorf. 



The defeat of Proctor at Lower Sandusky was a 

 joyous event to the inhabitants of Ohio and Indi- 

 ana. He was theinstigator of the barbarities com- 

 mitted by the savages upon the North Western 

 frontier, and with his oflicers encouraged the mur- 

 derous scenes which attended Winchester's defeat 

 at the Raisin — scenes ivhiel! ought never to he/or- 

 giiltdi by Americans, "'the Indians," observed 

 one of the miscreants, when he saw them driving 

 their hatchets in the brains of the wounded sol- 

 diers, " arc capital doctors." 



The ruins of the little fort with earthen mounds 

 and palisades, though bearing the marks of four- 

 teen years^ decay, is still (IH'27) to bo seen. A spot 

 .near it, upon the brow of the hill, was appropriated 

 by the garrison for the burial place of their fallen 

 enemies, and is still used as a cemetery by the in- 

 habitants of Croghansrillc ; a pleasant village whicli 

 has grown up in place of the few rude cabins, 

 which acc.Tinnioda.Ced the hunter.s who first settled 

 upon the Sandusky. 



This exploit sounded the fame of its hero far and 

 wide through the country. All ranks of men, and 

 ladies too, appeared to vie vi\i\\ each other, in ren- 

 dering homage to Kentucky valor. Congress vo- 

 ted a°bievet''and a sword to Major Croghan and 

 thanks to his gallant comrades, who were welcomed 

 wherever they came, with tiio applause of the 

 brave and the smiles of the fair. V. 



Fur tiie Fanner's .Miulhly Visiter. 



Clurcmont, May ■'>, 1 839. 

 Ctilturc of Kuta 3aga. 



Ho:,-. Isaac Him,: Dear fiir : Believing R-uta 

 Baca to be of gre.nt value to the stock fanners, and 

 as °the season for sowing it is at hand, I send you 

 an extract from my Farm journal relative to my 

 mode of culture the first year, though, as it was my 

 first experiment 1 am far from thinking it to be the 

 best mode. However, as I was pretty accurate in 

 detail, its publication may be of use to my brother 

 farmers, by inducing some one better acquainted 

 with its culture than myself, point out the errors in 

 my process. 



In the fall of 1836 I broke up three acres of 

 n-reen sward; the soil a stilT loam ; upon which I 



carted one hundred and fifty single loads of coarse 

 manure, and in 1637 planted with potatoes, there 

 being nothing ]>eculiar in the man-jgement, or ex- 

 traordinary in the croji. 



In the spring of 183H, I carted on sixty loads of 

 v,'ell rotted manure, which I ploughed in, so soon 

 as the ground was sufficiently ilry, and en the 27tli 

 of May I again ploughed, harrowed, and after rol- 

 ling smooth, marked it into squares of eighteen in- 

 ches, and planted by dropping two or three seeds 

 in each intersection, which was done by taking the 

 seed from a box, say a commcii tin dropping bo-V 

 with a single hole in the top. I sowed from the 

 1st to the 4th of June ; on the 'S.',A began to weed, 

 thinning out where the plants were too crowded, 

 and setting out where deficient, wiiieh I continued 

 to do occasionally when other woik did not press, 

 till the S8th of July. On the :2(jth of October 1 

 began to pull and cut, fin'shiiig oii the fith of No- 

 vember ; and I found the plants last pulled as un- 

 injured as the first, although they had been cxpo.sed 

 to several severe frosts. They were pulled by 

 hand, the workman slrikiiig tv/o plants together to 

 shake off the dirt, and then tjirowing them down, 

 where they l:iy spread for tluee hours t'j dry the 

 loose dirt that still adhered to them ; the tops were 

 then twiatcd off, and the plants thrown into heaps 

 for carting, so thnt each root \\'as handled three 

 sC'Veral times. They might have been got into the 

 cart with less labor, but my object was to get them 

 into the cellar in a tolerably clean state. Having 

 heard much of the difliculty of keeping tliem in 

 cellars, from their tendency to rot, I stored in one 

 cellar fifteen hundred bushels without injury to a 

 single root, and 1 have now, (May 5,) more than 

 one hundred bushels as full and as fair as when first 

 placed there. Thecelhir was thirty feet Sfjuare, on 

 the bottom of which, eight inch timbers were phi- 

 ccd, and cover''d with plank two inches apart. 

 The whole was divided into two bins with one fjot 

 space between the bins, and one foot bctvixen the 

 bins and collar wall; the sides of the bins being 

 made with narrow boards, with a space of four in- 

 ches between eacJi board. 



I fed out my twelve hundred bu.sfiols to my sheep, 

 six hundred to my horned cattle, and the remainder 

 to my horses. They all ate with avidity, preferring 

 them to potatoes. For my horses and cattle they 

 were merel;,' cut with a spad^' ; liir the sheep 'hey 

 were passed through a vegetaiile cutter. They 

 were carted in two carts, eac.h containing thirty 

 baskets holding more than a bushel, and weighing 

 seventy-four pounds. The number of baskets was 

 twenty-one hundred, and the whole weight scvcnty- 

 scvcn tons. Number of root--, about 36,000 — as put 

 in the extract from my Journal alluded to above. 

 I am sir, very respectfully. 



Your obedient servant, 



LEONARD JARVIS. 

 RUTA BAGA. Dr. 



To interest on three acres, at $100 per 



acre,- $18 



Twice ploughing three acres, (> 



Harrowing and rolling, 4 



Seed, 2 



To 130 days works on ahovc, viz. G days 

 sowing, 65 weeding, hoeing and set- 

 ting, and 36 drying and cutting, 

 130 days, or five months at $13 per 

 month, 65 



To 22 weeks board at 9s. per week, 33 §128 



Cr. 

 By 2)00 bushels at 10 cts. $210 



Profit estimating at 10 cts. $82 



$210 

 RfiMAr.KS. Compared with the price of other 

 crops, this Ruta Baga was richly worth twenty 

 cents the bushel : say it was worth only fifteen 

 cents, the net profits on these Ihree acres of ground 

 ^\'ere 07tc lntildr>'d find cighly-srvcn dollars. 



y/e are highly pleased to exhibit thi.^ evidence 

 from one of the first, and wo bel'cve tlie most ex- 

 tensive practical farmer in tlie State of New Ilaiiip- 

 shire, in favor of the root culture. He shows by 

 this experiment what much manure will do lor the 

 ground for a succession of years : it gives double 

 payment in a single year for the labor bestowed ; 

 and this double payment will extend itself into a 

 series of from four to ten j'ears, according to the 

 capacity for retention of the soil to which it is ap- 

 plied. 



We deeply regret that the coinmunicution, al- 

 though sent by mail to our publisher, was never 

 seen by us until the date (July 6) of writing these 

 remarks; and that we were obliged to apply to the 

 respected gentleman for a second copy. 



I have seen a farmer build a hou.se so large an<I 

 fine that the sheriff turned him out of doors. 



