Henry Brush - Service in The War of 1812

Service in The War of 1812

In August 1812, Governor Meigs received at Marietta, Ohio a letter from Gen. William Hull at Detroit stating that the army was very deficient in provisions and would perish if not resupplied by the militia. Provisions were already at Urbana, Ohio ready to be packed on horses, but awaiting a convoy of troops to protect them and open a new road, as the old one was almost impassable. On the next morning (Sunday) at Chillecothe, between 60 and 70 volunteers stepped into the ranks at the call. On Monday morning the company paraded at the Ross County, Ohio court house and elected Henry Brush, Captain. Being without uniform they agreed upon a suitable one, immediately purchased the stuff, and through the exertions of the ladies they were all completed before evening. Meanwhile, the rest of the citizens made molds and then molded bullets and buckshot; some made cartridges. Before evening, nearly 2000 cartridges had been made, each containing a ball and three buckshot. Other provisions, canteens, knapsacks, blankets and camp equipment were provided, all at the expense of private individuals. Early the next morning they started for Urbana. In less than 24 hours, a large company of volunteers had been raised, completely equipped, and was on the march through a hostile and wilderness country.

Henry Brush’s company went to Urbana and were joined by more volunteers. He then made his way north with 280 men, 100 beef cattle, and the other provisions. When Brush and his company of Ohio volunteers were near the River Raisin, he sent word to General Hull that he should be reinforced and protected by an escort, as it was understood that some British soldiers and a confederate band of Shawnee Indians, all under command of Tecumseh, had crossed the Detroit river with the intention of intercepting the provision train under Captain Brush. Hull directed Major Van Home with a detachment of two hundred riflemen of the Ohio volunteers to join Captain Brush and escort him safely to the American garrison, but Van Horne’s troops were surprised by a small Indian force led by Tecumseh. In the first battle of the War of 1812, the American soldiers were panic-stricken and fled precipitously with a loss of eighteen killed, thirteen wounded and seventy missing. Hull sent another American detachment of six hundred men under Colonel Miller to open communication with Captain Brush. At the village of Maguaga the Americans were met by a force of four hundred British, commanded by Major Muir, and five hundred Indians led by Tecumseh, Marpot and Walk-in-the-Water. Although inferior in numbers the Americans gallantly charged and put the opponents to flight. Both Major Muir and Tecumseh were wounded. Colonel Miller would have pushed to the rescue of Captain Brush, but was peremptorily ordered to return to Detroit by General Hull. By the time he returned, Hull had surrendered Detroit on August 16.

Meanwhile, Capt. Brush was in imminent danger of falling into the hands of the Indians under Tecumseh. When notified on the 17th by a British officer with a flag of truce, of Hull's surrender with his army, including his own command, Brush refused to accept the notice as authoritative, and escaped with most of his stores to Ohio.

Henry Brush was later a colonel in the Ohio Militia. Henry’s brother John Brush was a general in the War of 1812. He control the cannon the shoot the soldier across the river