The 1812 WAR CRY
Published by
the General Society of the War of 1812
Founded September 14, 1814
Volume 41, No. 4
December 2015
Ken Roach, Editor
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 2 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
President general’s Message—december 2015
It hardly seems possible that Fall has passed so quickly
and the end of 2015 is upon us. In September, I was
honored to join United States Daughters of 1812 President
National Jacque-Lynne Schulman for the dedication of a
number of new historic markers at Fort Morgan State
Historic Park near Gulf Shores, Alabama,
commemorating the Battles of Fort Boyer (September
1814 and February 1815), important engagements in the
Gulf Coast campaign against the British. The markers
were a joint effort of the Society of the War of 1812 in the
State of Alabama and the Alabama Society U.S.D. 1812.
The General Society provided matching funds through its
Grants Program, an underutilized program of the General
Society that provides matching funds to any State Society
for certain types of projects. Details on the program can
be found in previous issues of the War Cry and on the
General Society website.
In October, I was honored to attend a meeting of the
Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Texas in
Houston, which was held in conjunction with the annual
meeting of the Texas Hereditary Societies at which I had
been invited to speak. Texas has a large and active
society.
This fall, we realized the fruition of an effort initiated at
the 2013 General Society Board of Directors meeting. At
that time, the Board voted to revive the original Society of
the War of 1812 grave marker, which was used during the
turn of the last century until its discontinuance probably
during World War II. Thanks to Secretary General Tim
Mabee, our vendor was given access to an original 100
year old marker from which to create a new mold.
Production of the first new markers of the original design
was completed in October, with both flush mounted
attachments and stake mounted hardware now available.
These may be ordered from the Quartermaster General
and are priced the same as our previous marker, which
was designed in the 1980’s. In 2016, we will complete
the design for a Society member grave marker, which was
also authorized by the resolution of the Board in 2013.
Our web presence continues to improve as new useful
content is added to our website--www.gsw1812.org.
Also, I asked VPG (WA) Allen Gray to serve as
Administrator of our somewhat moribund Facebook page.
Allen has worked hard to regularly post updated and
interesting content. If you are on Facebook, make sure to
like our page.
As I write this message, those of us who live in the New
Orleans area recall it is the 201st anniversary of
General Andrew Jackson’s arrival in the city. Days
later when Jackson learned the British arrived nine
miles downriver from his headquarters in the city, the
Battle of New Orleans began with his response: “By
the eternal, they shall not sleep on our soil!” While
our celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of
1812 is over, our mission to perpetuate its memories
and victories continues. I urge you to join me to
ensure that all descendants of the brave men who lent
their courage and sacrifice to America’s Second War
of Independence enjoy membership in our General
Society.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish
you and your family a very Merry Christmas. Rest,
relax, cherish those you love, and remember the birth
of the Savior--Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Front cover — Perry’s Victory and International
Peace Memorial at Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Back cover —
Memorial Plaque located inside the entrance of the
Peace Memorial.
PG Thomas Jacks and USD 1812 President
National Jacque-Lynne Schulman attending
dedication at Fort Boyer.
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 3 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
“Amongst my best men”
Commodore Isaac Chauncey used this phase when
describing the 150 Blacks, boys and soldiers he had sent to
Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry when the Lake
Erie Squadron was being built in 1813. Perry later
complained to Chauncey, his commander, that he was
sending him untrained sailors. Perry, in fact, had brought
Black sailors with him from Rhode Island when he arrived
at Erie, Pennsylvania, to take command of the squadron.
It is not known how many Black sailors served with Perry
on the Upper Great Lakes during the War of 1812.
Estimates range between 10 to 15 percent of the enlisted
sailors who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie were Black.
This estimate also covers the enlisted personnel serving in
the rest of the U.S. Navy during this time period.
The navy did not indicate race on its muster rolls. The
names of Black sailors do appear in family and county
histories, in books on the War of 1812 and on some
pension applications. Only a few names can be verified
while most names remain unproven.
A new source of identifying Blacks who served with the
Lake Erie Squadron (plus the rest of the U.S. Navy) lies in
the American prisoner of war (POW) records housed in
the National Archives of Great Britain. The POW ledgers
for the Dartmoor prison not only list the names of the
prisoners, how they were captured and when they were
sent to this prison, but also their ages, nativity and race.
The POW ledgers used in the British colonies, including
Canada, did not record age, nativity or race.
A year after the Battle of Lake Erie, four ships from
Perry’s squadron were captured by the British. The
schooners Ohio and Somers were captured on 12 August
1814 near Fort Erie, across the Niagara River from
Buffalo, New York. The schooner Tigress was captured on
3 September 1814 while the schooner Scorpion was
captured on 6 September 1814. Both of these ships were
lost to naval actions on Lake Huron.
Eight men had been identified as being Black sailors from
the Lake Erie Squadron while assigned to Dartmoor. They
are Moses Bailey, Charles Black, Henry Brown, William
Griffin, Andrew Norton, Thomas Palmer, John Peters and
Jesse Williams. Brown and Williams had served on the
U.S. Brig Lawrence during the Battle of Lake Erie while
Palmer served on the U.S. Schooner Ariel and Andrew
Norton on the U.S. Brig Niagara. Bailey, Black, Griffin
and Peters joined the squadron after the battle.
When captured, Griffin, Norton and Palmer were serving
editor’s Corner
The publication schedule follows: March 1 (deadline
for Submission February 1); June 1 (Deadline for Sub-
mission May 1). Keep sending in those articles.
on the Tigress while Bailey, Brown and Williams were
on the Scorpion. Black and Peters were on the Somers.
Bailey died at Dartmoor on 17 Feb 1815 from variola
while the other men were released at the war’s end.
All of the men from these ships were first sent to
Montreal and then Quebec before arriving at Halifax,
Canada. Black, Griffin and Peters arrived at Quebec
from Montreal on 5 October 1814. The other five
Black men arrived at Quebec on 1 November 1814.
H.M. Transport Freedom brought Black, Griffin and
Peters to Halifax on 1 November 1814 and the other
five men on 7 November 1814.
At Halifax, the marines, and the army personnel who
were serving as marines, were exchanged or paroled
and sent back to the United States. The rest of the
captured officers and men were sent to England on
H.M. Transport Argo.
All of the enlisted men arrived at Dartmoor on 26 Dec
1814, and they were released from this prison on 3
July 1815 (except for Bailey and a few other men who
had died at the prison). The officers were sent to a
parole station at Dartmouth where they were free to
live in the area. They had to abide by strict rules while
living in the Dartmouth area. These men did not have
to live in the POW prisons. Continued Page 5
Left to right -Tim Mabee, Chapter President and
Secretary General GSW1812, Raymond LeMay and
Robert Gang at Saratoga Lake, NY
John E. Wool Chapter of the Society of
the Second World War with Great
Britain in the State of NY held a 2017
Triennial planning committee meeting.
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 4 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
Save The Date — 2016 Annual Meeting
of General Society of the War of 1812
September 15-17, 2016, Springfield, Illinois
Wyndham Hotel — For a reservation, please call:
844-825-7733 Rate is $121 per night
More information: Jim DeGroff
Illinois Society Recognized 4 War of 1812
Veterans
The Illinois Society of the War of 1812 recognized four
War of 1812 veterans at the White Hall Cemetery in
White Hall, IL on September 26, 2015.
Lieutenant Jacob Ogle was a First Lieutenant in Captain
James Moore’s Company of the Mounted Illinois Militia.
Joseph Ogle was a private in Captain James Moore’s
Company of the Mounted Illinois Militia from April 1812
to November 1812. He also served in Lieutenant Colonel
Whiteside’s of Illinois Militia.
Charles Kitchens was private in Capt. Henry Cook’s
Company (formerly Capt. Samuel Judy’s Company) for a
three-month tour beginning on March 3, 1812. He served
as a private in Ensign Samuel Whiteside’s Detachment of
Mounted Riflemen and as a private in Capt. Samuel
Whiteside’s. On March 3, 1813, he again enlisted as a
private in Captain Samuel Whiteside’s Company of
Mounted Riflemen, Illinois Militia, for a period of one
year. He was discharged March 2, 1814. He also served as
a sergeant in Captain Samuel Judy’s Company of
Mounted Illinois Militia for a period of sixty days.
Joseph Bridges was also a private serving in Captain John
Colbert’s Company, Colonel Thomas’ 2nd Regiment of
Georgia Militia.
L-R, Steve Hyatt, Anthony Robison, Timothy Ogle,
Robert Ridenour, and Illinois State Society President
William Wilson are pictured behind the graves. Jim
DeGroff, Anthony Robison, Steve Hyatt and Robert
Ridenour provided the color guard.
Society of the War of 1812 in the Commonwealth of Virginia
“Our Color Guard”
Whenever an event comes to the attention of our
Society, the color guard attends in dress uniforms of
the period, which provides a special “finishing touch”
for the event. The dress uniforms that we wear are
from the Richmond Light Infantry Blues. Their
uniform consisted of a deep blue coat faced with
white, a white waist-coat and white shirt. Instead of
the hat that they wore, members of our color guard
wear the hat of the regular U.S. Army – a black shako
with white cord, white plume, and the infantry plate.
The uniform our color guard wears can become quite
costly, and we’re aware of that. There are
alternatives; one can also dress as a militiaman. Being
dressed as a militiaman provides a chance for the
event onlookers to see the variety of soldier uniforms.
Do you want to help make a difference in our
Society? We need more color guard members!
Contact me, Charles Belfield, at
[email protected] or any of the color members,
and we will help you get started with the uniform of
your choice. Your participation will help bring that
“finishing touch.”
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 5 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
“Amongst my best men” — continued from Page 3
The eight Black men from the Lake Erie Squadron were among the last of the American POWs to return home
from England after the end of the War of 1812.
General Entry Book of American Prisoners of War ledger, British Admiralty, Public Record Office, London,
Great Britain (ADM 103 / 87 through 91 and 511), Dartmoor ledgers.
General Entry Book of American Prisoners of War ledger, British Admiralty, Public Record Office, London,
Great Britain (ADM 103 / 362), Quebec ledgers.
General Entry Book of American Prisoners of War ledger, British Admiralty, Public Record Office, London,
Great Britain (ADM 103 / 640), Dartmoor death certificates.
General Entry Book of American Prisoners of War ledger, British Admiralty, Public Record Office, London,
Great Britain (ADM 103 / 465, part 2), Quebec transfer rolls and parole location ledgers.
War of 1812 Service Records - Lake Erie, Fold3.com, (original data from the National Archives, Washington,
D.C.), excerpts from muster and payroll reports for the Lake Erie Station.
Name Rank Age in 1814 Nativity
Bailey, Moses Ordinary Seaman 28 Pennsylvania
Black, Charles Boy 18 Philadelphia
Brown, Henry Cook 22 New York
Griffin, William Ordinary Seaman 23 New York
Norton, Andrew Ordinary Seaman 22 Virginia
Palmer, Thomas Ordinary Seaman 22 New York
Peters, John Landsman 19 Pennsylvania
Williams, Jesse Ordinary Seaman 42 Virginia
Major Nathan Boone Chapter of the
Missouri Society Dedicated 2 Markers
Missouri President of the Society of the War of 1812,
Brian Smarker holding the Flag and President of the
Major Nathan Boone Chapter Dan McMurray.
Iowa Society Holds Annual Qualification
with Flint Locks
Iowa Society Past President Louie Zenti conducts live
fire for qualifying score in conjunction with the Iowa
Military Heritage Society.
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 6 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
Original General Society War of 1812
Veterans Grave Maker Now Available
The Original Marker first produced in the
early 1900’s is available from our
Quartermaster General. Stake mounted and
flush mounted options available. Price
$65. Bronze stake for $10.
He was able to gain admission as a student in the
printing department at Southern University in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana and completed the course. Calvin
eventually took over the business from his fathers and
continued to operate it until Hurricane Katrina
destroyed the business in 2005. In the spring of 1949,
he and his brother Adolph, who was also a Tuskegee
Airman, formed a flying club in New Orleans. Along
with twenty other men, they purchased a 3-seat Piper
Super Cruiser airplane and hangared it at Lakefront
Airport in New Orleans until the summer of 1953,
where they introduced members to the miracle of
human flight. Following the release of ‘‘The Tuskegee
Airmen’’ movie in 1995, Mr. Moret frequently lectured
about his experiences and promoting the proud history
of African-American accomplishments in American
life. In 2007, Mr. Moret was present when the
Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold
Medal from President George W. Bush in the rotunda
of the Capitol. He joined the Society of the War of
1812 in the State of Louisiana on the record of his great
-great-great grandfather Firmin Perrault (1788-1832),
who served as a Private in Fortier’s 1st Battalion Free
Men of Color from December 1814 to March 1815 at
the Battle of New Orleans. At the commemoration of
the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, Moret
presented a wreath at Jackson Square honoring the Free
Men of Color who served with distinction under
General Jackson at the battle. The Tuskegee Airmen
and the General Society of the War of 1812 mourn the
passing of this great American.
Tuskegee Airman, Louisiana Society
Member Calvin Moret Dead at 90
Calvin George Moret, a lifelong resident of New
Orleans, died on September 11, 2015 at the age of
90. He was the last surviving Louisiana member
of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-
American pilots who fought in World War II and
were the first African-American pilots in the
United States military. Mr. Moret entered the
military in 1943 and trained as a military pilot at
Tuskegee, Alabama, receiving his wings and
commission as a Flight Officer on November 20,
1944. He was discharged from military service
on January 31, 1946, after which he returned to
the family printing business, Moret Press, which
had been founded by his father, Adolph Joseph
Moret, Sr., in 1932. The need for an in-house
linotype machine operator prompted him to seek
a school for this purpose outside of New Orleans
because segregation laws at the time would not
allow him to study at Delgado Trade School.
Major (Retired) Tommy A. Rigsby and Major
Kenneth Baillie escort Isiah Edward, former President
of the Mississippi Society, Calvin Moret, and Michael
Henderson, members of the Louisiana Society, at the
celebration of the Bicentennial of the Battle of New
Orleans at Jackson Square on January 8, 2015.
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 7 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
GENERAL SOCIETY OF THE WAR OF 1812
Founded September 14, 1814
MERCHANDISE PRICE LIST – 08 / 2015
(Prices Include Shipping)
Name: ____________________________________________ National Number:___________________
Address:____________________________________________________________________________
City, State and Zip:____________________________________________________________________
Item Description Price Qty Cost
Large Insignia (Gold plate over bronze) $135.00
Large Insignia (Gold plate over silver) $243.00
(10k, 14k and 18k gold. Prices available on request)
Miniature insignia (Gold plate over bronze) $72.00
Miniature insignia (gold plate over silver) $93.00
(10k, 14k and 18k gold. Prices available on request)
State President's Star (gold plate over nickel) (plus $0.35 per letter engraving) $225.00
State President's Star (Sterling silver star) (plus $0.35 per letter engraving) $485.00
Membership insignia only sold to members in good standing. Include membership number if ordering
membership insignia items
General Society Officer/State President/Chapter President Neck Ribbon $25.00
State Society President Sash $115.00
General Society Officer Sash (70”) $145.00
General Society Officer Sash – Extra Long (77”) $155.00
Insignia Cufflinks $125.00
1812 Seal Cuff Links (Gold Colored) New $65.00
Rosette (Clutch Back) $15.00
Blazer Patch (Clutch Back) $21.00
Necktie Bowtie, banded Bowtie, self-tie Cummerbund $25.00
General Society Flag (3'x5' double sided nylon with pole hem and gold fringe) $225.00
ROTC Medal PRICE INCREASE Effective Immediately $20.00
Veteran Grave Marker Price Increase $65.00
Triennial Yearbook 2014-2017 $15.00
Bulk Rate for 20 or more Triennial Yearbooks shipped to one address $12.50
GRAND TOTAL:
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH. CREDIT CARDS NOT ACCEPTED.
Make Checks Payable to: “GENERAL SOCIETY OF THE WAR OF 1812”
Mail Order Form and Check to: John R. Taylor, Jr., Quartermaster General
4509 SCR 83
Mize, MS 39116-5608
Website: www.gsw1812.org
Free trade and sailor’s rights! The 1812 war cry December
Page 8 Web site: www.gsw1812.org
General Society of the War of 1812
Office of the Vice President General (Publications)
Kenneth D. Roach, Editor
44 Broadleaf Circle
Windsor, CT 06095-1633
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 860-841-7260 c
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED