The relic, which is a brass plate two and three-fourths inches square, shows that it has laid in the earth many ears, for the attachments of the fastening, which were iron, have rusted off, yet enough is seen to show that it was fastened by a pin, similar to the breast pins of modern day. At the top and center is figured a star, the outline of which is composed of 20 stars, representing 20 States) beneath this is represented an eagle with outspread wings and a shield over his breast; then at his right and appearing from behind his wing are shown three spears or lances, and just beneath wing the ends with bayonets fixed, of two muskets at the left and behind his other wing appear two spears and a tomahawk, beneath the wing are shown two more muskets with bayonets fixed; then, at the center, beneath the eagle, are represented two cannon, one lying across the other, and near them three piles of cannon balls, beneath the cannon are three arrows. There are no letters or figures discernible. 

Desiring to learn what I could about it, I naturally sought out someone of the few pioneers of our county who are yet living, and called on Mr. R.M. Cannon. Mr. Cannon was 88 years old last October.  I handed the relic to him, asking if he could tell me anything about it.

He examined it minutely for a while, and then looking up with an expression of surprise, asked where I came across it. After telling him, he preceded with his answer to my question. 

"This badge was worn by the head war Chief of the Shawnee nation of Indians about the year 1813. It was worn over the chest and could be seen for a considerable distance through the woods. I think I knew the man who wore that badge. I was well acquainted with him –Captain John Logan. He was killed above Defiance when out with a scouting party.” 

“He together with Pemthota Perry, Captain John, and Captain Tom (history says Captain John and Bright-horn) came to a spring, and while stooping down to drink, were surprised and captured by seven hostile Indians who took them northward, and in the evening, while they were making preparations to camp for the night and arranging to bind their captives, Logan gave the signal of a prearranged plot to rush for the guns which were stacked a short distance from them. Each killed his man, expect Logan, whose gun missed fire, and while he was attempting to get another gun, he received a shot through the abdomen, resulting in death two or three days later. The party got back to Defiance after killing all their captors but two.”

Here I called attention to the statement in the history, which relates that Logan and his companions pretend to have deserted the Americans and were on their way to join the British, which story was finally believed by Winnemac, the celebrated Potawatamie Chief, who at first disarmed his prisoners, but afterward again restored their guns to their owners, and of the final fight and victory. Mr. Cannon answered me by saying: 

“I am sure that history is wrong about the circumstances of Logan’s death. I talked with a great many men who were at Fort Winchester and Defiance at the same time, and they all agreed, telling the same that I related to you.” 

“How old wast Logan?”

“ I think he was about 40 years of age.”

Why do you think Logan wore this badge; were there not others like it?”

“Logan was the only Chief who wore a badge, and it was square like this one. The more I look at it, the more natural it looks. The white officers wore badges, but they were of an oblong form.”

“How do you account for its having been found in this neighborhood?”

“I think it must have been the possession of some of the officers returning home who stopped with old man Thatcher, who kept a kind of hotel. Thatcher’s boys appropriated everything to themselves which they could lay their hands. This no doubt, attracted their attention. They have made use of it and lost it while out hunting.  Logan was a noble man, as was so his John, who was killed through mistake, having been taken for another man, and his murderer was hanged at Wapakoneta by the Indians, he being also an Indian. Young John did not immigrate West, as the history has it. John Logan, the Chief, was married to a white woman by the name of Betsey Barbee (said to be Dick Johnston’s daughter), who was captured by the Indians in Kentucky. She was alive when the Indians left here having married Pemthota Perry.”

“Mr. Cannon, I have often desired to ask you something about your shooting an Indian without provocation, but simply as a test of your marksmanship. It is said that you shot an Indian lad in cold blood.”

I had the pleasure of shooting Captain Pipe, the Delaware Chief, not killing him, however; neither did I shoot for the purpose of testing my marksmanship, for I know what I could do with my gun. Joseph Sharp and I procured the privilege from the commander of the Garrison to go out hunting squirrels. When just above the Johnston farm, northeast of Sidney, we discovered Indians attempting to drive of Jacob Tilberry’s horses (Tillberry had gone to Chillicothe after Hull’s surrender). The horse broke back. The Indians again surrounded them, and were driving them off. We could tell by the bells on the horses what direction they were taking, and placed ourselves near their path, Captain Pipe was behind them driving. 

When within shooting distance, I let him have the contents of my gun. He fell forward and dropped his gun but was only wounded. My powder was damp and held fire I would have killed him. I expected Sharp to shoot him again, but when I looked around for him he was running for all his speed for the garrison. Thinking that there might be a great many Indians there, I ran also and overtook sharp, who was as white as every might be. He begged me not to run away from him. We arrived at the garrison about dusk and reported. The next morning, a number of us went out and tracked the Indian by his blood to a creek, where he had knocked out the bottom of his powder horn with which to dip up water; here we lost his trail. 

Colonel Johnston, the agent, came to the garrison and wanted them to give me up, but he had to go back alone. After peace was declared I saw and talked with Captain Pipe. The ball struck him in the mouth, coming out near the angle of the jaw.  This Captain Pipe was the same who captured and hanged Colonel Crawford at the stake."

“Where was the garrison situated?”

“It was situated in Sidney, about where the Catholic church now stands; and it was called Fort Mann after Major Mann, who commanded it when a Captain. After Mann’s promotion, Captain Kirtley took command of the garrison.”

“There seems to be some dispute as to who first settled in this county. I think Daniel Flinn, and not James Thatcher. Flinn settled at Wayne’s crossing of the Loramie, known as Fort Loramie.” 

In closing, I do not consider it necessary to call attention the fact that Mr. Cannon is a man of veracity, for he is too well known by the people of this county to need commendation. Authored by Charles S. Cowan, Hardin Ohio, December 26, 1884.

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A second article mentioning Fort Mann has also been found. The article was transcribed as published with the exception of this researcher adding some paragraphs:

The Sidney Daily News, Page 6  -Sidney, Ohio · Wednesday July 15, 1908 

The Shelby County Democrat, Page 11  -Sidney, Ohio · Friday, July 24, 1908. 

The article is titled “An Interesting Interview” and was as follows:

One day last week a representative of this paper sat down on the curb on the west side of the court square with Thomas S. Cannon, who is known by the familiar name of “Sim Cannon” and had a very interesting talk with him. He was born on a farm one and one half miles north of Hardin and has practically lived in the county all of his life. He began talking about the experience of his early life and we drew from him the following facts. He is the son of Richard M. Cannon, who came from Red Bank near Cincinnati, to Shelby County with his parents in 1806 and settled on the old Young farm in Orange Township. Shortly afterwards they came to Sidney, then a straggling log hamlet surrounding the military fort that stood where the Catholic school house now stands. It was garrisoned by a squad of soldiers under Captain Mann. 

At that date there were a large number of Indians camped at Wapakoneta reservation and the white people had to be on their guard about offending them. 

One day, young Cannon (his father) and another man, then about 16 years old got permission from Captain Mann to go out to hunt squirrels. While on the Nursey farm they saw an Indian and soon discovered there were other Indians who were trying to steal some horses belonging to a man named Tilbury, who lived in Sidney. The other man, Sharp, ran but Cannon watched the Indian who was known as Captain Pipes and finally shot him, wounding him in the mouth. They then returned to the fort and Captain Mann sent out a squad of soldiers, who pursued the Indians some distance, but did not over-take them.

Some years afterwards Richard Cannon married and settled on the farm now owned by Mrs. J.E. Russell three miles west of Sidney. Subsequently he bought a farm north of Hardin where he resided until his death in 1888 at the age of 93 years. 

In 1832 when the Indians were moved from the Wapakoneta reservation to a reservation in what afterwards became a part of Kansas they camped on the Cannon farm on their way and Cannon there met Captain Pipes. Cannon says his father reported to them that he did not sleep that night fearing the Indian, remembering that Cannon had shot and wounded him years before would retaliate if opportunity presented. 

The remainder of the article shares “Sim” Cannon’s personal history and ends with the article’s author noting that Mr. Cannon had occupied several positions of trust and honor in Turtle Creek Township and for years was one of its most practical farmers.

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A third article found on page 11 of the Shelby County Democrat’s Friday, June 18, 1909 edition is titled, “Some interesting Facts Brought Out in Some High School Papers”. Several students from the Senior High School class were “published on account of the historical facts of general interest to the community. Student contributors included:     Minerva Steenrod …Early History of Shelby County Maurice Helman …Indian History of Shelby County Fred Briggs …Early Schools of Shelby County Weber Trapp …Military History of Shelby County Frances Maxwell …Sidney-Her Industries and Commercialisms and Blanche Gearhart---Early History of Sidney An excerpt of Gearhart’s work is as follows:

“An old fort stood on Main street near the present site of the Catholic church. Twenty-five or thirty men were stationed there as protection against the Indians. There were two tribes of Indians near Sidney, the Delawares were friendly to the whites but the Potawatanies (Potawatomis) were war like.” 

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The story of father and son are (not surprisingly) similar. There is a chronological benefit to the second article as that it continues a timeline until the Indians left Ohio.  No information is provided concerning how Miss Gearhart became aware of the old fort or how many soldiers manned it. 

Concerning the belt plate worn by Logan… If it was worn around the neck, and not as a belt plate, it served a gorget.  Gorgets were originally pieces of armor that protected the neck and throat, but in later centuries gorgets became decorative badges of rank for military officers. Many Native Americans also wore them as a decorative badge of status.  This style of belt plate was used circa 1810 by militia units in Virginia.  While it might not be common in Ohio, there is no way to confirm that it was the plate that Logan wore.

Concerning Fort Mann… Many years ago the remnants of a blockhouse were discovered directly east of the south corner of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Sidney, Ohio… I believe from the a road crew was digging just north of the Main Street and Water Street intersection. The road work began near the center of Main St. and extended eastward past the edge of the road. The Shelby County Historical Society and the Shelby County Engineer’s office currently have no information concerning the discovery of the Blockhouse.  However, there are references to other blockhouses being referred to as a fort. There is no way determine whether there was only one blockhouse or more than one blockhouse and a palisade. The eye-witness subject of the first article would certainly have known the difference between a blockhouse and a fort.  It is likely that this fort was a blockhouse and small palisade that may have been infrequently used for the supply chain to Fort Winchester or Fort Meigs.  It was used mostly a patrol station and outpost that stored ad hoc supplies for the patrols that as far north as the Maumee River area of this Ohio.  This speculation is logical, as by 1813, Fort Johnston in Piqua, Ohio was a major supply hub for Harrison's troops.  (Fort Johnston encompassed 10 acres, which makes it and Fort Meigs among the largest Ohio fortifications established during the War of 1812.)

The entire area where the Fort Mann is located is now paved surface or contains structures. At the time it was discovered, it was named “Jesse Jackson’s Blockhouse” by the local historical society.  At this time, the this author inquired to the society concerning the structure and was told that it was being named for the last whose company manned it. The society hierarchy assigned the name “Jesse Jackson’s Blockhouse” to the structure is no longer available, so it is not possible to obtain additional information. 

Efforts to locate other mentions of the fort at local or state archives to date have been fruitless... and that begs the question – What source of information was previously available that is not available today?  The fort is briefly mentioned in the federal archives.... and according to an eye-witness account, a fort existed and was named for Jacob Mann. 

The fort may well have been named for Jacob, or it more likely would  have been named for Jacob’s older brother and commanding officer, Colonel John Mann. As majors in 1811, John Mann and Alexander Ewing scouted near Prophetstown, Indiana, shortly before the Battle of Tippecanoe.  Shortly after the scouting expedition, Mann and Ewing promoted to the rank of colonel by RJ Meigs for “Acts of Valor”.

Concerning Jacob Mann was an upstanding citizen and soldier. Shortly after Miami County was formed, Jacob Mann surveyed some of the earliest roads in the county. At the outset of the War of 1812, several companies of Ohio Militia volunteers were organized, one of which Jacob Mann was a Captain.  He originally served under his brother, Colonel John Mann. Later in 1812, Colonel Mann was promoted to a Regimental Colonel position. 

At that time, Jacob Mann was promoted to Major.Shortly after Jacob was promoted to Major, Jacob Mann was federalized into the Spies and Scouts under General Harrison. I have been unable to locate any military records for Jacob until after he returned to civilian life. After serving for Harrison, Jacob returned to the local militia and is recorded as becoming the Battalion Commander for Miami County. At this time, Miami County belonged to the 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 5th Division of the Ohio Militia. 

A member of Jacob’s company recorded in his pension records that he and others in a detachment were ordered to Greenville to assist with the rebuilding of that fort. It is recorded in Indiana’s historical records that during the War of 1812, Jacob Mann participated in Harrison's campaign to free Fort Wayne. While spying out the land with Captain Logan, another scout, they came upon an ambush planned for Harrison, and when exchanging fire Jacob shot the noted Pottawatomie chief, Metea, in the arm as he was attempting to hide behind a tree, rendering the arm useless for life. Later, he was with fellow spy and scout Johnny Logan when he died from enemy fire. Logan was the only Native American to receive a full military funeral honors during the War of 1812.  

In 1814, Jacob Mann married Elizabeth Shell. They had the following children: James (1815) Priscilla (1817), Mary (1826), Isaac (1827), Jacob (1828), John (1830), Henry (1833), and Caroline (1836). 

The reminisces of Dr. Asa Coleman state that Jacob made hunting his principal business. He and his brother John also had the first licensed distillery in Miami County, Ohio. The Mann brothers operated a brick yard for several years. Jacob was a charter member of Franklin Masonic Lodge in Miami County, Ohio, and served the community as a Justice of the Peace. 

Jacob Mann died on March 14, 1857. His wife, Elizabeth, passed the following year.

The military records of the Miami Militia, its ranking officers, Colonel John Mann, Alexander Ewing, and General Benjamin Whiteman have never been located in state archives. 

Johnston noted in his correspondence, that he lost all his paperwork and correspondence twice... the first time occurred during the Siege of Fort Meigs.  

In addition, some militia records stored at the Johnston Farm were removed by local scavengers before Upper Piqua became a registered historic site in the 1960s. It is possible some records concerning the fort or local militia activity were taken at that time.  

The image to the left shows Jacob Mann’s original petition for a land grant for his service in the War of 1812. Because he was federalized after becoming a Major, there was no Ohio Militia information to support his claim. He was eventually granted land for his service as a Captain. We know that Jacob Mann was the first captain to occupy Sidney’s fort. The second captain was Ezekiel Kirtley, and the third captain of the fort has been identified by others as Jesse Jackson.
The Roster of Ohio Soldiers in the War of 182 lists the following men as company members for each captain of Fort Mann / Jesse Jackson's Blockhouse are listed below. 

Members of Captain Jacob Mann’s Company of the Ohio Militia:

Jacob Mann, Captain

John Dye, Corporal 

John Knight, Ensign 

Vincent Dye, Sergeant 

Uriah Blue 

Henry Fallman

William Gissarion 

Peter Harter  

James Scudder

Peter Weaver

Thomas Young

Abraham Brown 

Noah Gregg  

Benjamin Harte,  

Thomas Kiser 

Robert Woodburn  

John Weaver

Absolom Cox

Joseph Goble

John Haines

John Levan 

Richard Winnings 

Lewis Williams 

Members of Captain Ezekiel Kirtley’s Company of Ohio Militia: 

Ezekial Kirtley, Captain 

Barnabas Blue, Corporal 

Samuel Reed, Sergeant 

Sampson Coats, Sergeant 

William Brown

William Folkerth 

Isachor Jenkins 

William Mendenhall

Benjamin Overfield

Thomas Stockstill

David Sharp  

David Carson 

Daniel Goble

John Hudson  

Fielding Lowery 

Samuel Moore  

John Price,  

George Saunders 

Robert Woodbourne 

John Childers

John Goble  

John Ingle  

Joseph Miller

John B. Dye 

Joseph Stewart

David Stinchcomb 

Members of Captain Jesse D. Jackson’s Company of Ohio Militia: Jesse D. Jackson, Captain 

Lieutenant John Rudd Jr.  

Nathan Russell, ,Corporal 

Samuel Brown, Corporal 

Daniel Sawtell Corporal 

John, Brooks, Ensign 

Erastus Rudd, Sergeant 

Ira Parker, Sergeant 

Samuel Vinton, Sergeant 

Leonard, Niles, Drummer 

Silas Tinker, Fifer 

Horace Pearsons, Fifer 

Merritt Allen 

Stephen Backmer

Rosswell Cook  

Jonathan Ferguson 

Peter King, Jr. 

Jonas Lewis 

Stephen D. Miranville 

George Stuntz 

Linus Scovill  

John L. Widner 

James Brooks 

David Baters 

John Brennen 

Eldad Harrington

James Leavitt

Jabez D. Marainville  

Thomas McNear

Chester Smith 

Morgan Tubbs

Hugh Withrow 

Hananiah Brooks

Davis Coles 

Sinkler Fox 

Samuel Herring

Caleb Lewis  

John Moore

Aaron Noble 

John Spooner 

Daniel Talbot

Joe Wooden