Col. William Crawford - Crawford, Ohio
Posted by: 
Mr. 0
N 40° 55.402 W 083° 19.730
17T E 303907 N 4532861
A memorial to Colonel William Crawford placed near where he was burned at the stake.
Waymark Code: WM76MR
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 09/09/2009
Views: 9
Colonel William Crawford was born in 1732 in what is now Berkeley County West Virgina.
During the Revolutionary War he appointed colonel of the 7th Virginia Regiment. He lead the Battle of Long Island, crossed the Delaware with George Washington, and fought at Princeton and Trenton. In 1777 he moved to Fort Pitt to help fight along the western front. He eventually retired from service in 1781.
In 1782 he was convinced to come out of retirement to lead an expedition to the Sandusky River. It was expected that he would lead volunteers into "Indian Country" and surprise them. The British and Indians in Detroit caught wind of his expedition and were waiting for Crawford's arrival. A battle ensued, and Crawford was captured. The Indians tortured and killed Crawford by shooting, scalping and eventually burning him at the stake. This was a retaliatory move due to Crawford's participation in the Gnadenhütten massacre.
This memorial stands today near where Crawford was burned, and though his body was never located, it also serves as his grave. There are several other historical markers and signs in the area related to Crawford.