James T Sanders, son of John Sanders and his wife Sarah Grant, was born in the Yadkin River District in North Carolina. He was Number 9 of their 12 children, all of whom were born in North Carolina, except the youngest two daughters, Rebecca and Dorcas. His family moved to what is now known as Bourbon County, Kentucky in the mid to late 1790's.
James was just 18 yrs old when he became among the many Kentucky Volunteers who enlisted in the early fall of 1812 to assist the American Army in taking back Fort Detroit, which was lost to the English and American Indians who captured Fort Detroit in the summer of 1812.
On 18 January 1813, they were successful in recapturing Fort Detroit, however despite this initial success, the British and Native Americans rallied and launched a surprise counterattack on the 22nd of January 1813.
Ill-prepared, the Americans lost 397 soldiers in this second battle, while 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre by the Native Americans. More prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. This was the deadliest conflict recorded on Michigan soil, and the casualties included the highest number of Americans killed in a single battle during the War of 1812. The volunteer soldiers from Kentucky were too badly injured to march overland to Canada, and the Native Americans decided to kill them instead. James Sanders was one such soldier and died at the age of 19 yrs.
The remains of those Kentuckians killed were returned to the Cemetery at Frankfort. Some were not identified specifically and so many soldiers have no headstones.
James was just 18 yrs old when he became among the many Kentucky Volunteers who enlisted in the early fall of 1812 to assist the American Army in taking back Fort Detroit, which was lost to the English and American Indians who captured Fort Detroit in the summer of 1812.
On 18 January 1813, they were successful in recapturing Fort Detroit, however despite this initial success, the British and Native Americans rallied and launched a surprise counterattack on the 22nd of January 1813.
Ill-prepared, the Americans lost 397 soldiers in this second battle, while 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre by the Native Americans. More prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. This was the deadliest conflict recorded on Michigan soil, and the casualties included the highest number of Americans killed in a single battle during the War of 1812. The volunteer soldiers from Kentucky were too badly injured to march overland to Canada, and the Native Americans decided to kill them instead. James Sanders was one such soldier and died at the age of 19 yrs.
The remains of those Kentuckians killed were returned to the Cemetery at Frankfort. Some were not identified specifically and so many soldiers have no headstones.
James T Sanders, son of John Sanders and his wife Sarah Grant, was born in the Yadkin River District in North Carolina. He was Number 9 of their 12 children, all of whom were born in North Carolina, except the youngest two daughters, Rebecca and Dorcas. His family moved to what is now known as Bourbon County, Kentucky in the mid to late 1790's.
James was just 18 yrs old when he became among the many Kentucky Volunteers who enlisted in the early fall of 1812 to assist the American Army in taking back Fort Detroit, which was lost to the English and American Indians who captured Fort Detroit in the summer of 1812.
On 18 January 1813, they were successful in recapturing Fort Detroit, however despite this initial success, the British and Native Americans rallied and launched a surprise counterattack on the 22nd of January 1813.
Ill-prepared, the Americans lost 397 soldiers in this second battle, while 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre by the Native Americans. More prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. This was the deadliest conflict recorded on Michigan soil, and the casualties included the highest number of Americans killed in a single battle during the War of 1812. The volunteer soldiers from Kentucky were too badly injured to march overland to Canada, and the Native Americans decided to kill them instead. James Sanders was one such soldier and died at the age of 19 yrs.
The remains of those Kentuckians killed were returned to the Cemetery at Frankfort. Some were not identified specifically and so many soldiers have no headstones.
James was just 18 yrs old when he became among the many Kentucky Volunteers who enlisted in the early fall of 1812 to assist the American Army in taking back Fort Detroit, which was lost to the English and American Indians who captured Fort Detroit in the summer of 1812.
On 18 January 1813, they were successful in recapturing Fort Detroit, however despite this initial success, the British and Native Americans rallied and launched a surprise counterattack on the 22nd of January 1813.
Ill-prepared, the Americans lost 397 soldiers in this second battle, while 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre by the Native Americans. More prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. This was the deadliest conflict recorded on Michigan soil, and the casualties included the highest number of Americans killed in a single battle during the War of 1812. The volunteer soldiers from Kentucky were too badly injured to march overland to Canada, and the Native Americans decided to kill them instead. James Sanders was one such soldier and died at the age of 19 yrs.
The remains of those Kentuckians killed were returned to the Cemetery at Frankfort. Some were not identified specifically and so many soldiers have no headstones.
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