General Daniel Bissell, Soldier in the Revolutionary War
Northwest Frontier and War of 1812
Daniel Bissell (1768 – 1833) was an American soldier and administrator. Born in Connecticut, at age twelve he was a fifer in the Connecticut militia during the American Revolutionary War. In 1788 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and quickly rose through the ranks. In 1802 he was given command of Fort Massac, near Cairo, Illinois. In about 1804, he came to Missouri and also became a close friend of Daniel Boone. As described in Russell Bissell’s materials, Daniel Bissell also helped outfit the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
Gen. Daniel Bissell, 1802
In 1808, he was appointed Commander of Fort Bellefontaine and Military Governor of Upper Louisiana by President Jefferson. On May 20, 1809, he took command of Fort Belle Fontaine, the first military fort west of the Mississippi River. He served with distinction during the War of 1812, in which he commanded U.S. forces at the Battle of Cook's Mill. He died at age 65 in St. Louis, Missouri. His St. Louis home is now owned by St. Louis county and run as a historical attraction. (This information is from Wikipedia).
Upon his arrival, Bissell found conditions at the fort to be unhealthy and the buildings in poor repair. He also considered the site to be in a poor strategic position. In 1810 Bissell received authorization to relocate the fort on higher ground and completed the rebuilding effort in 1811. The fort was abandoned in 1826 when the army built Jefferson Barracks on a site on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River south of St. Louis. (This information is from greatriverroad.com website, about the Daniel Bissell House).
With the onset of the War of 1812, Bissell was promoted colonel and given command of the 5th Infantry and in 1814 he given a brevet promotion to brigadier-general and assigned a brigade in Izard's Right Division at Plattsburgh. He commanded this brigade throughout 1814 and won a tactical draw at the small action fought at Lyon's Creek or Cooks' Mills, Canada, on October 19, 1814.
The following report details American Brigadier General Daniel Bissell's account to Major General George Izard of the Battle of Cooks Mills, which occurred on October 19, 1814. This report was written three days later, and was published in the Niles' Register - November 19, 1814 (p. 172)
“Camp – Frenchman’s creek, October 22, 1814
SIR – I have the honor to report, that in obedience to your orders of the 18th instant, I proceeded with about 900 men of my brigade, a company of riflemen under captain Irvine, and a small party of dragoons under lieutenant Anspaugh, by very bad roads and creeks, the bridges over which were broken down, to Cook’s mills, on Lyon’s Creek, a branch of the Chippewa, and encamped for the night: near that place the enemy had stationed a militia piquet of 20 men, commanded by a captain who made their escape on our approach, the captain excepted, who was taken. Their piquet of regularsfound at this place was driven in, and I threw across, at that place, (the only one at which it was practicable) the two elite companies under captain Dorman, 5th, and lieutenant Horrel, 16th infantry and the riflemen under captain Irvine; our advanced piquet on the Chippewa road, commanded by lieutenant Gassaway was attacked in the night by two companies of the Glengary light infantry, who were beaten off with the loss of one man only. On the morning of the 19th, we were attacked by the enemy in force; from the best information amounting to more than 1200 men composed of the 82d and 87th regiments of foot, detachments of the 100th, 104th, the Glengary light infantry, a few dragoons, and rocketteers, and one piece of artillery; the whole commanded by the marquis of Tweedale, colonel of the 100th.
The light corps under captain Dorman and Irvine’s riflemen, sustained the whole fire of the enemy for about fifteen minutes, with the greatest gallantry, until other troops were formed and brought to their support.
The 5th regiment under colonel Pinckney, aided by major Baker of the 45th, attached to that regiment, was ordered to skirt the woods and turn the enemy’s right flank, and if possible to cut off the piece of artillery.
Maj. Bernard with the 14th, was ordered at the same time to form in front , advance to support the light troops and charge the artillery; the 15th regiment under major Griudage, and 16th under colonel Pierce were ordered to act as circumstances might require.
The well directed fire of the elite corps, riflemen, and gallant charge of the 14th, soon compelled the enemy to give ground, and on discovering that his right flank was turned by the intrepid move of the 5th under colonel Pinckney, he retreated in the utmost confusion, leaving some killed, wounded and prisoners; we pursued to a ravine some distance from the scene where the action commenced; not knowing the ground, I did not think it proper to push them further but, soon after reconnoitred the country and discovered they had retreated to their strong hold at the mouth of the river about seven miles distance.
To the officers and men engaged great credit is due for their zeal and intrepidity…”
In 1815, after Bissell returned to the St. Louis area from the war, he began to construct a brick house. Using slave labor the house was constructed in stages and was finished by 1819. This oldest portion of the two-story home is a rare example of the Federal style of architecture that was brought to Missouri by American settlers after the Louisiana Purchase.
Daniel Bissell’s Colllected papers are in the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and the correspondence covers the years 1800-1820, during his years as Missouri Territory Commandant. Correspondents include Gen. James Wilkinson; Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike (discoverer of Pike’s Peak); Gov. (later President) William Henry Harrison; Henry Dearborn; William Clark; Frederick Bates; and Gov. Meriwether Lewis (of the Lewis & Clark Expedition).
Though there is not more information at this point, a Captain Lewis Bissell was the son of Major Russell Bissell (Gen. Daniel Bissell's brother and the first commander of Fort Bellefontaine) and the nephew of General Daniel. Lewis Bissell was born in Connecticut 12 Oct 1789; under a commission from President Thomas Jefferson, he was sent to the Western frontier. He served with distinction in the War of 1812 and as a Captain was given command of Fort Clark (now Peoria, Illinois). In 1818-1820, he went with the “Missouri Expedition” also called the “Yellowstone Expedition” up the Missouri River and founded Omaha, Nebraska. Back in St. Louis, he acquired 1,500 acres of land now known as Bissell’s Point on the Mississippi River. The home he built there is today a Comedy/Mystery Dinner Theater in St. Louis, the Bissell Mansion Restaurant.
ED Note : see additional information about Lewis Bissell under Major Russell Bissell in research notes.
Col. Daniel Bissell fought at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, part of the Northwest Indian War in Ohio, 20 Aug 1794. From history.com,
"(T)he Battle of Timbers, on August 20, 1794, was the last major conflict of the Northwest Territory Indian War between Native Americans and the United States. At the battle, near present-day Toledo, Ohio, General Anthony Wayne (1745-96) led U.S. troops to victory over a confederation of Indian warriors whose leaders included Chief Blue Jacket of the Shawnees and Chief Little Turtle of the Miamis. The Treaty of Greenville, signed the following year, opened up much of present-day Ohio to white settlers.
From Wikipedia, "In late August 1794, Little Turtle and his Shawnee ally, Weyapiersenwah (Blue Jacket), faced a new U.S. Army, including a core of nearly 5,000 professionals trained and led by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Wayne had spent the better part of two years training and disciplining his troops.
Papers of the U.S. War Department, at http://wardepartmentpapers.org also contain some correspondence of Daniel and Russell Bissell with various war department officials including Secretary of War Henry Knox.
Gen. Daniel Bissell's Father was Ozias Bissell, died 1822; his mother was Mabel Roberts, 1727-1803.
There is also a "Daniel Boone connection" to Gen. Daniel Bissell. In 1820, the artist Chester Harding painted Daniel Boone from life. From the original oil sketch he made two more busts and a full-length portrait. Harding was probably the only artist to paint Boone from life; many other depictions of Boone are adapted from Harding's work. Painted three or four months before his death, Boone was so frail that he had to be steadied by a friend while the artist worked. One of Harding's portraits is said to have been given by Boone to Gen. Bissell.
The Bissell Connection to General Daniel Bissell and Major Russell Bissell
4th Cousins, six times removed from the Bissell “3G” Generation
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Joyce, Meredith, George, Gwen, Roger, Arthur, Eleanor, Chip, Carolyn, Betsy, Clyde
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Adelaide Lyon Boutelle --- Richard Meredith Bissell
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Mertie Ella Bisbee ----- Herbert Hunt Bissell
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Julie Ann Richardson ---- John Hatch Bissell
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Mercy Ann Searle ---- Benoni Bliss Bissell
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Gen. Daniel and Major Russell Bissell Tirzah Pierce ---- Solomon Bissell
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Capt. Ozias Bissell -- Mabel Roberts Eunice Olcott ---- Noah Bissell
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Capt. John Bissell, Jr. -- Hannah Denslow Silence Burt ---- Noah Bissell
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John Bissell -- Abigail Filley Ruth Warner ---- David Bissell
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Samuel Bissell -- Abigail Holcombe Mindwell Moore ---- Nathaniel Bissell
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[---------------- Captain John Bissell – Mary ------------------------]
Note that Gen. Daniel Bissell and Major Russell Bissell are also cousins through the Holcombe Line, from Thomas Holcombe, 10th Great-grandfather.