Copus massacre

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The Copus massacre is a name given to a skirmish occurring on 15 September 1812, between American settlers and Indians on the Ohio frontier during the War of 1812. Reverend James Copus and 3 other settlers died while defending the Copus' homestead near present-day Charles Mill Lake, Ohio.

Traditional legend has it that Johnny Appleseed "raced throughout the region warning others of impending attack" after this incident. Consequently his name is included on the Copus memorial, (a monument dedicated in 1882 to Copus and others fallen in similar attacks), the "earliest known monument erected to his memory and legend".

1 Background
2 Attack
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Background

James Copus and his family had been harassed by local Indians and had asked for military support. On 14 September 1812, nine soldiers were detailed to accompany him. During the afternoon, one of Copus' daughters noticed an Indian at the edge of the woods but did not report the incident.

[edit] Attack

The following day, seven of the soldiers left to wash at a nearby spring, leaving their weapons near the house. The Indians attacked the men at the spring, killing three. Three more fled to the woods. They were pursued by the Indians and two of them were tomahawked; the sixth man was shot and mortally wounded.

The only soldier who regained the cabin was George Dye, who fought through the Indians. He was wounded in the thigh by a musketball. As came through the door, Copus was hit by a shot through his chest. Wounded, Copus shot and hit an Indian.

On the east of the cabin extended a range of hills several hundred feet high covered with timber and large rocks, which furnished an excellent cover for the enemy and gave them a position from which they could fire down upon the cabin. The Indians besieged the cabin from the hill. The soldiers tore up the puncheons of the floor and placed them against the door to prevent the balls from penetrating to the interior of the cabin. Nancy Copus, a little girl, was wounded in the knee by a ball that passed through the door. One of the soldiers, George Launtz, had his arm broken by a ball.

The soldiers fought back. The battle lasted from daybreak until midmorning. The Indians then retreated, killing some sheep on their way. As soon as the Indians disappeared, one of the soldiers crawled out through the roof of the cabin and went for assistance. The day before, Captain Martin had agreed to call at the Copus cabin the same evening with a number of soldiers and remain all night. But he and his soldiers, having been scouting all day and finding no signs of Indians, concluded that all apprehensions of danger were frivolous, therefore neglected to appear as agreed. He had encamped on the Black Fork and reached the Copus' cabin by late morning. On approaching the cabin, he and his soldiers attended to the wounded. Search was made for the Indians but they were not found.