Ohio History Journal

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The Harrison Table Rock and Ball's Battlefield

The Harrison Table Rock and Ball's Battlefield.        363

 

No other county in the state is so rich in early history as Sandusky.

A British post was established here during the Revolutionary War. Here

the first permanent white settlers located and the first marriage between

whites was performed. Especially during the War of 1812 was it a

famous battleground.

In marking, one by one, these historical places, we, as an organi-

zation, are not only showing patriotism in one of the truest forms--

reverencing the memory and brave deeds of our heroes--but we are

reminding the present and future generations of our dearly won liberties,

for very truly has some one said: "Every spot in a land that marks

the achievement of an heroic deed is to that land a perpetual fountain

from which flows influences to strengthen the patriotism of its people."

In imagination we can see Major Ball's dragons gallantly riding

down this road. They obeyed the order to charge with bayonets when-

ever smoke was seen and thus in a hand-to-hand encounter killed

seventeen of the eighteen Indians.

Bravery in battle requires the same courage, whether the fighting

is on Ball's battlefield with a small squadron, at Fort Stephenson with

160 men defending the fort, or with the thousands at Gettysburg. So

today we honor the memory of the men who won the battle which pre-

ceded Croghan's victory by two days.

From here we will go on to the Harrison Mess Rock located on

Harrison Trail. It is well known in this part of the state on account

of its great size and because the general and his staff lunched from its

spacious board.

As your state regent, I am delighted to congratulate you on the

placing of these markers, for as the Fort Kearney Chapter in Nebraska

was the first to erect a tablet on the Old Oregon Trail in that state,

so you, members of my own chapter, are the first to place markers on the

General Harrison Military Trail in Ohio.

Mrs. John T. Mack, of Sandusky, state chairman of the his-

torical sites committee, was next introduced by the local regent

and gave an interesting account of what has been done through-

out the state in the marking and commemoration of historic sites.

A part of her paper was as follows:

 

 

ADDRESS OF MRS. MACK.

The committee on historic sites of the Daughters of the American

Revolution of Ohio wish to congratulate the Colonel Croghan Chapter

upon the unveiling of two more tablets, thus adding more laurels to the

wreath you have won in the marking of historic spots. It was in the year

of 1901-02, under the state regency of Mrs. John A. Murphy that the

committee on marking Revolutionary soldiers' graves was formed. A