Disaster On The Sandusky: The Life Of Colonel William Crawford
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Disaster on the Sandusky: The Life of Colonel William Crawford
Disaster on the Sandusky: The Life of Colonel William Crawford
Colonel William Crawford was a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War and the colonial frontier. He was a friend and associate of George Washington, a veteran of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, and a leader of several expeditions against Native Americans. His life was full of adventure, ambition, and tragedy. His most famous and fatal mission was the disastrous expedition against the Sandusky River in 1782, where he was captured, tortured, and burned at the stake by his enemies.
Early Life and Career
William Crawford was born in 1722 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. He was the son of William Crawford Sr. and Honora Grimes Crawford, who were Scots-Irish immigrants. He had a younger brother, Valentine Crawford Jr., who also became a soldier and a pioneer. Crawford grew up on a farm and learned to hunt, fish, and farm. He also learned surveying from his father, who was a land agent for Lord Fairfax.
In 1742, Crawford married Hannah Vance, with whom he had four children: John, Otho, Sarah, and Effie. He settled on a farm near Winchester, Virginia, where he became a prominent citizen and a justice of the peace. He also became friends with George Washington, who was then a young surveyor working for Lord Fairfax. Crawford helped Washington with his surveys and accompanied him on several trips to the Ohio Country. He also served as Washington's agent for buying land in the region.
Military Service
Crawford joined the Virginia militia at the outbreak of the French and Indian War in 1754. He rose to the rank of captain under Washington's command and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Jumonville Glen, where Washington ambushed a French patrol and sparked a global war; the Battle of Fort Necessity, where Washington surrendered to the French; and the Battle of Monongahela, where General Edward Braddock's British army was defeated by a combined force of French and Native Americans.
After the war, Crawford resumed his farming and surveying activities. He also became involved in land speculation with Washington and other investors. He acquired thousands of acres of land in the Ohio Country, hoping to profit from its settlement and development. However, his land claims were disputed by Native Americans, who resisted the encroachment of white settlers on their territory.
Crawford rejoined the militia at the start of the American Revolution in 1775. He led a Virginia regiment with Washington during two major battles: the Battle of Trenton, where Washington crossed the Delaware River and surprised the Hessians; and the Battle of Princeton, where Washington defeated the British army. Crawford also participated in several raids against Native American villages in western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Sandusky Expedition
In 1782, Crawford was asked by General William Irvine, the commander of Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), to lead an expedition against the Native American stronghold along the Sandusky River in Ohio. The expedition was intended to punish the Native Americans for their raids on frontier settlements and to prevent them from joining forces with the British at Detroit. The expedition was also motivated by revenge for the Gnadenhutten massacre, where American militia killed almost 100 peaceful Christian Delaware men, women, and children at a small village called Gnadenhutten.
Crawford agreed to lead the expedition despite his doubts about its chances of success. He gathered about 500 mounted militia volunteers from Pennsylvania and Virginia and set out for Sandusky in May 1782. The expedition was poorly planned and executed. The militia were undisciplined and unruly. They made slow progress across the wilderness and were spotted by Native American scouts. They lost their element of surprise and walked into an ambush by a large force of Delaware and Wyandot warriors led by Chief Wingenund.
The battle lasted for two days near Upper Sandusky. The militia were outnumbered and outmatched by their enemies. They suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat. Crawford tried to cover their retreat but was separated from his men and captured by the Native Americans. He was taken to an Indian village near Tymochtee Creek, where he was tortured for several hours before being burned at the stake.
Legacy
Crawford's death was a shock to many Americans who admired him as a hero of the Revolution and a martyr of the frontier. His death was also used as propaganda by both sides of the conflict. The Americans portrayed him as a victim of savage cruelty and vowed to avenge him. The Native Americans portrayed him as a symbol of white aggression and justified their resistance.
Crawford's life story has been told in several books, including Disaster on the Sandusky: The Life of Colonel William Crawford by Robert N. Thompson (2017), which is based on extensive research and historical sources. Crawford's name has been commemorated in several places, such as Crawford County in Ohio and Pennsylvania; Crawford Township in Wyandot County, Ohio; Crawford Park in Upper Sandusky; Colonel Crawford High School in North Robinson; Colonel William Crawford Elementary School in Galion; Colonel William Crawford Middle School in Sciotoville; Colonel William Crawford Memorial Park in Leesburg; Colonel William Crawford Monument near Tymochtee Creek; Colonel William Crawford Burn Site Monument near Ruraldale; Colonel William Crawford Bridge over Sandusky River; Colonel William Crawford Trail near Upper Sandusky; Colonel William Crawford Statue at Fort Pitt Museum in Pittsburgh; Colonel William Crawford Grave Marker at Fort Pitt Blockhouse in Pittsburgh; Colonel William Crawford Plaque at Winchester Courthouse Square in Winchester; Colonel William Crawford Marker at Braddock's Battlefield History Center in Braddock; Colonel William Crawford Marker at Jumonville Glen Historic Site in Farmington; Colonel William Crawford Marker at Fort Necessity National Battlefield Visitor Center in Farmington.
Conclusion
Colonel William Crawford was a remarkable man who lived in a turbulent and transformative era. He was a friend and ally of George Washington, a veteran of two wars, and a pioneer of the frontier. He was also a man of contradictions, who pursued wealth and fame, but also showed compassion and courage. He met his end in a horrific way, but his legacy lives on in history and memory. He was one of the many heroes and victims of the American Revolution and the colonial frontier.
The Aftermath of the Expedition
The Sandusky expedition was a disaster for the American cause. It failed to achieve its objectives and resulted in the loss of many lives and resources. It also provoked more hostility and violence from the Native Americans and their British allies. The Native Americans retaliated by launching more raids on the frontier settlements, killing and capturing hundreds of settlers. The British also used Crawford's death as a propaganda tool to discredit the Americans and rally support for their side.
The survivors of the expedition faced a harrowing journey back to Fort Pitt. Many of them were wounded, exhausted, and demoralized. Some of them were pursued and attacked by Native American warriors along the way. Some of them were captured and tortured or killed. Some of them died of hunger, thirst, or exposure. Only about half of the original force made it back to safety.
The fate of Crawford's body was also a source of controversy and mystery. According to some accounts, his remains were recovered by his friend and fellow officer, Dr. John Knight, who buried them near the site of his execution. According to other accounts, his remains were scattered by animals or by Native Americans who dug up his grave. His exact burial place remains unknown to this day.
The Legacy of the Expedition
The Sandusky expedition was one of the last major military operations of the American Revolutionary War. It marked the end of Crawford's career and life, but also the beginning of a new era in American history. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which recognized the independence of the United States and ceded the Ohio Country to them. However, the conflict with the Native Americans continued for decades, as they fought to defend their lands and rights against the expansion of white settlers.
The expedition also had a lasting impact on the memory and culture of the people involved. The Americans remembered Crawford as a hero and a martyr, who sacrificed his life for his country and his friends. They erected monuments and named places after him to honor his legacy. The Native Americans remembered Crawford as an enemy and a symbol of white aggression, who deserved his fate for his crimes against them. They celebrated their victory over him and his men as a sign of their strength and resistance.
The expedition also inspired many stories, legends, and myths that were passed down through generations. Some of these stories were based on facts, while others were embellished or fabricated. Some of these stories were told by eyewitnesses or participants, while others were told by historians or writers. Some of these stories were meant to inform or educate, while others were meant to entertain or persuade. Some of these stories are still told today, while others are forgotten or lost. d282676c82
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