The Humorous Side of the Battle of Sodus Point
The Battle of Sodus Point was our town’s saddest day. It was, however, not without humorous moments and quirky men :
In her 1985 book entitled “The Battle of Sodus Point War of 1812″ Doris M. Sims tells of these men and moments:
“There were about sixty who reached Sodus Point that night. The list included names still well known in Wayne County. One of my favorite pioneers was there – Ammi Ellsworth who lived between the Point and Sodus village. A tale passed on by local storytellers says that he was one of a pair of identical twins, Ammi and Levi. Ammi, on occasion, partook of the cup that cheers and does inebriate, and when he reached a certain stage of exuberance, was wont to turn to a bystander and say, “Am I Ammi, or am I not Ammi? If I am not Ammi, then who in hell am I?”
Another was Isaac Davidson, who was the miller at Dr. William Lummis’ grist mill some two miles west of Sodus Point near the mouth of Salmon Creek. That evening, Davidson had been locked in the mill by error. We are not told how he managed to get out, but escape he did, and got to the Point in time for the fray. The great wrought iron hinges and superb handle and latch from the door of the old mill grace a Sodus resident’s front entrance. When I lift the latch I often think of poor Ike, struggling with it in an effort to get on his way and join the others before the excitement was all over.”
“Incidents, not without humour, are related in connection with the skirmish. Charles Eldridge was heard to cry out from the bushes “I am killed. I am killed.” Examination showed only a slight flesh wound in his neck. A George Palmer told that while he was making a good run for the rear, he passed Elder Norton, then not a young man but a gruff one. Norton said, “Go on, don’t wait for me, I won’t run.” Major Farr and Lieutenant Nathaniel Merrill played a series of dodges, a sort of “Hide-and-Seek” with each other in the woods, each thinking the other an enemy. Farr got so tangled up in the woods that he did not find his way out until morning.”
