Ohio History Journal




16 Ohio Arch

16         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

bers of which had charge of the final interment. The children

scattered flowers in the grave, a salute was fired, taps were

sounded, and the honored dust of the gallant George Croghan

was consigned to its final resting place on the spot and in the

sacred soil he had so bravely and loyally defended ninety-three

years before. The grave was covered with a large block of

Quincy granite bearing this inscription:

George Croghan

Major 17th U. S. Infantry,

Defender of Fort Stephenson,

August 1st and 2d, 1813.

Born Locust Grove, Ky., Nov. 15, 1781.

Died New Orleans, La., Jan. 8, 1849,

Colonel Inspector General

United States Army.

Remains removed from

Croghan Family Burying Ground,

Locust Grove, Ky.,

August 2, 1906.

The oratorical exercises were held in

the afternoon in the open air within the

precincts of the fort. Vast crowds gathered

and listened intently to addresses. General

Jesse C. Chance, of Fremont, was president

of the day and introduced the speakers,

after the assembly had been called to order

by Mayor C. C. Tunnington. The speeches

were interspersed with patriotic songs by

the school children and martial strains by

the Light Guard Band.

 

 

THE INVOCATION.

REV. W. E. TRESSEL, CHAPLAIN.

God of our fathers, we praise and worship Thee! Assembled on

historic ground, which has been consecrated by heroes' blood, we not only

hold in glad and grateful remembrance the noble deeds of valiant men,


The Croghan Celebration

The Croghan Celebration.                    17

 

but we proclaim Thy great glory, O Lord of hosts; for Thou art the

God of battles, and right and truth triumph by Thy blessing. And whilst

we thank Thee for the brave men of that older day who fought so nobly

in freedom's holy cause, we give Thee laud and honor for the pa-

tience, the skill, the industry, through which were won those notable

victories of peace, no less renowned than those of war, that made the

wilderness to blossom as the rose and laid the foundations for the

splendid material prosperity which to-day is our portion. For health,

and peace, and plenty, for home, good government, for our great educa-

tional system, we give Thee thanks, 0 God. And richer gifts than these

have flowed to us from Thy bounteous hand. Thou hast revealed to us

Thy dear son, Jesus Christ, and hast made Him to be our Savior from

the bondage of sin and from eternal death; and in Thy precious word

Thou hast conveyed to us Thy saving grace and power. Eternal praise be

to Thee for these, Thy choicest gifts!

We pray Thee to continue to us Thy favor. To this end bless

with repentance and faith; help us to renounce all sin and error, to love

and to follow truth and righteousness, that we may hold fast what

Thou hast in mercy given. Instil more and more into our hearts love

of country. Do Thou use the exercises of this day to impress on our

mind the responsibilities of citizenship. Awaken and quicken within us

civic spirit. And thus let this memorable day on which we stand before

Thy holy throne, result in countless blessings, for time and eternity, to us

and to our children.

 

"Our God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home!

 

"Under the shadow of Thy throne

Thy saints have dwelt secure:

Sufficient is Thine arm alone,

And our defence is sure.

 

"Before the hills in order stood,

Or earth received her frame,

From everlasting Thou art God,

For aye wilt be the same.

 

"A thousand ages in Thy sight

Are like an evening gone;

Swift as the watch that ends the night

Before the rising sun.

Vol. XVI-2.



18 Ohio Arch

18         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,

Bears all its sons away:

They fly, forgotten, as a dream

Dies at the opening day.

 

"0 God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Be Thou our Guard while troubles last,

And our eternal home!"

 

Thou, who hearest prayer, for Jesus' sake give ear to these our

prayers and praises, which we sum up in the words of our Lord:

Our Father, Who art in heaven; Hallowed be Thy name; Thy

kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us

this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive

those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but

deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the

glory, forever and ever. Amen!

 

ADDRESS OF HON. SAMUEL D. DODGE.

When your fellow citizen, Col. Webb C. Hayes, asked me to ad-

dress you upon this occasion, and I accepted the invitation, I did so

with the full appreciation that I should be

able to add nothing to the historical in-

formation which you citizens of Sandusky

County possessed, I should be able to say

no word which could in any way increase

your admiration for the distinguished

youth, who, almost a century ago, stood

near this spot, and with one gun and a

few brave soldiers routed the British

forces and their Indian allies.

You citizens of Sandusky County have

studied your histories well; you have

shown full appreciation for the courage

displayed on that occasion and you have

honored many times the memory and

deeds of the distinguished Soldier. Stu-

dents of American history have related to

you the causes that led up to the War of

1812; eminent writers have described to you the campaign preceding the

attack on Fort Stephenson; and distinguished orators, with brilliant

phrases, have pictured to you the handsome youth standing upon the ram-

parts of Fort Stephenson, and amid the yells of savages and the fierce at-

tacks of the veterans of Wellington urging his little band to deeds of hero-