Hugh Brady
Encyclopedia
Hugh Brady was an American
general from Pennsylvania
. He served in the Northwest Indian War
under General Anthony Wayne
, and during the War of 1812
. Following the War of 1812, Brady remained in the military, eventually rising to the rank of major general
and taking command of the garrison at Detroit. He also marginally participated in the 1832 Black Hawk War
. Hugh Brady died an accidental death in 1851 when he was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage
.
Hugh Brady was born July 29, 1768, one of six sons and four daughters by John and Mary Brady, in Standingstone, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
.He is not to be confused with the current President of University College Dublin. Brady's father, Captain John Brady, was killed in 1776, during the American Revolution
in a battle with Native Americans
. In May 1779, the family moved to Brady's maternal grandfather's home in Cumberland County
and stayed there until October 1779. After a harsh winter, Brady spent the ensuing few years working the fields in the area with his brothers, often armed in case of conflict with Native Americans. Brady's mother died in 1783, and his oldest siblings began to marry. Hugh Brady moved with his brother Samuel Brady
to Washington County, Pennsylvania
. Samuel married and Hugh stayed with his brother until 1792, when he began his military career.
, Delaware
and died April 11, 1779 near Muncy, Pennsylvania
in an Indian attack. His mother was Mary Quigley Brady, who was born on August 16, 1735 in Hopewell Township
, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
and died October 20, 1783 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
. Capt. John Brady and Mary Quigley Brady had thirteen children, three of whom died in infancy. Their children were Captain Samuel Brady, born 1756; James Brady, born 1758; William Brady, born 1760 and died in infancy; John Brady, born March 18, 1761; Mary Brady (Gray), born April 22, 1764; William Penn Brady, born August 16, 1766; General Hugh Brady, twin, born July 27, 1768; Jane Brady, twin, born July 27, 1768; Robert Quigley Brady, born September 12, 1770; Agnes Brady, born February 14, 1773 and died November 24, 1773; Hannah Brady (Gray), born December 3, 1774; Joseph Brady, born in August of 1777 and died in infancy; and Liberty Brady (Dewart), born August 9, 1778.
Hugh's Irish maternal grandfather, James Quigley, was born in about 1710 and came to America from Ireland in 1730. He settled on 400 acres (1.6 km²) of frontier land, in what is today, Hopewell township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, close to present day Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. He built his wilderness home of logs close to the banks of Conodoguinet Creek.
The Scottish-Irish were the earliest settlers on the Pennsylvania frontier of the early 18th century. As one author puts it.
Little is known of James' wife, Jeanette, except that she was likely of Scottish descent and probably was born in Hopewell Township in 1725. However, according to Brady family historian, Belle Swope, "We are assured she was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a wise counselor, or she would not have given to the world such brave and illustrious children." In 1738 the log Middle Spring Presbyterian Church
was erected three miles (5 km) from their homestead, of which James and Jeanette Quigley became faithful members and in which they along with some of their children came to be buried in its old graveyard. James Quigley had to be and was ever vigilant to keep hostile Indians from killing his family and burning his home–a fate that befell many of his neighbors in those early days on the Pennsylvania frontier. In addition to successfully keeping his home and family safe, on March 25, 1756 James Quigley was commissioned ensign in the Cumberland County Colonial Rangers. He served as at private in Revolutionary War. He died in 1782. They had six children, who were all born on their Hopewell Township homestead, namely, John Quigley, born in August of 1731, Samuel Quigley, born in June of 1733, Mary Quigley (who was the wife of Major John Brady, Hugh's mother), born August 16, 1735, Agnes Quigley, born in March of 1737 or 1738, Martha Quigley, born in July of 1741 and Robert Quigley, born in 1744, who married Mary Jacob. Robert Quigley eventually ended up living on the Quigley Homestead, at Quigley Bridge, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Robert Quigley and Mary Quigley Brady remained very close throughout their lives.
Brady was first inducted into the military with a commission from George Washington
as an ensign
in General "Mad" Anthony Wayne's
army in 1792 and placed in a rifle company
under the command of Captain John Crawford. By 1794, Brady rose to the rank of lieutenant
, and fought with Wayne in the Northwest Indian War
. Brady participated in the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers
, which resulted in the Treaty of Greenville
. Following the war, in 1796, he left the military, albeit temporarily, and returned to Virginia
to visit the widow of his brother, Captain Samuel Brady
.
His brother had settled in Ohio County, Virginia and after visiting his widow there, Hugh Brady decided to return home to see his family in Sunbury, Pennsylvania
. He arrived there, after further stops in Virginia and Kentucky
, in 1797. He remained in Sunbury until, during the winter of 1798–99 he was appointed a captain in a militia raised during the administration of President John Adams
. The militia was disbanded less than two years later and Brady went about improving a plot of land, with his brother William, about 50 miles (80.5 km) from Pittsburgh along the Mahoning River
. Brady married Sarah Wallace and remained on the plot until 1807.
and remained there until 1812. In 1812 he received a commission from President Thomas Jefferson
and once again rejoined the ranks of U.S. military officers. He was given command of the 22nd Infantry Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Chippawa
and the Battle of Lundy's Lane
, where he was severely wounded. The wounds ended his service during the War of 1812
. Brady would remain in the military after the war, until his death in 1851.
based at Sackett's Harbor, New York. In 1822, Colonel Brady and five companies of the 2nd Infantry established Fort Brady
on the site of the French stockade Fort Repentigny (1751), along the St. Mary's River at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Territory, near Lake Superior
. The outpost became an important defense structure in the upper Michigan frontier. In 1857, most of the soldiers at Fort Brady
were withdrawn and transferred to Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Brady rose in rank to brigadier general
later that same year, after ten years service. Brady had command of the garrison at Detroit by 1828.
In late April 1832 the Black Hawk War
began between Sauk war chief Black Hawk's
British Band
and the Illinois state and Michigan Territorial Militia. Brady left Michigan Territorial Capital for Fort Winnebago
, near present-day Portage, Wisconsin
. Brady was Commandant of the Department of the Upper Great Lakes at the time and was accompanied by one aide. Brady, having seen combat in the 1790s with Wayne and during the War of 1812, was of the opinion that the Sauk could be easily defeated with only a few companies of soldiers. Brady was given command of two companies and set out to rendezvous with General Henry Atkinson, overall commander, in northern Illinois.
Much of Brady's overall involvement in this conflict was peripheral. On the afternoon of June 8, 1832, Henry Dodge
and his men, including James W. Stephenson
, proceeded to Kellogg's Grove
and buried the victims of the St. Vrain massacre
. That night Stephenson returned to Galena, Illinois
, while Dodge moved to Hickory Point where he remained overnight. The next morning Dodge set out for Dixon's Ferry
, where he camped with General Brady. On June 11, Dodge escorted Brady to the mouth of the Fox River
to confer with Atkinson. Dodge left the conference with clear authority from Atkinson to deal with the violence in the mining region. Hugh Brady set out for Fort Hamilton, with the brigade commanded by Alexander Posey
and his two companies of regular
s, on June 20. Brady was eventually given a larger force but was stricken with dysentery
in July and did not participate further in the war.
Five years after the Black Hawk War, in 1837, Brady was given command of Military Department No. 7, headquartered in Detroit. He remained in the position for seven years, during which time he was in command over the removal of several Native American tribes as well as an incident known as the "Patriot War
". When the U.S.-Mexican War broke out, Brady was too old to join the troops in the field but he assisted by helping to raise troops and equipment and shipping it to the war zone. In 1848, three years before his death, Brady was promoted to the rank of major general
.
, when the vehicle became entangled in telegraph wires. The wires, lowered for repairs, caused the horses to panic. In the panic, Brady was thrown from the carriage and fatally injured. He died in the presence of his pastor, Dr. (Rev.) George Duffield.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
general from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He served in the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
under General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
, and during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Following the War of 1812, Brady remained in the military, eventually rising to the rank of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
and taking command of the garrison at Detroit. He also marginally participated in the 1832 Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
. Hugh Brady died an accidental death in 1851 when he was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
.
Early life
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
.He is not to be confused with the current President of University College Dublin. Brady's father, Captain John Brady, was killed in 1776, during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
in a battle with Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. In May 1779, the family moved to Brady's maternal grandfather's home in Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
and stayed there until October 1779. After a harsh winter, Brady spent the ensuing few years working the fields in the area with his brothers, often armed in case of conflict with Native Americans. Brady's mother died in 1783, and his oldest siblings began to marry. Hugh Brady moved with his brother Samuel Brady
Samuel Brady
Captain Samuel Brady was a frontier scout and the subject of many legends in the history of western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. He is best known for jumping across a gorge over the Cuyahoga River to escape pursuing Indians in what is present day Kent, Ohio...
to Washington County, Pennsylvania
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
. Samuel married and Hugh stayed with his brother until 1792, when he began his military career.
The Brady and Quigley families
Hugh's father, Capt. John Brady, was born in 1733 near NewarkNewark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and died April 11, 1779 near Muncy, Pennsylvania
Muncy, Pennsylvania
For other places named 'Muncy', please see Muncy .Muncy is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The name Muncy comes from the Munsee Indians who once lived in the area. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania...
in an Indian attack. His mother was Mary Quigley Brady, who was born on August 16, 1735 in Hopewell Township
Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Hopewell Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,096 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
and died October 20, 1783 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
-Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau:Lycoming County is divided between the Appalachian Mountains in the south, the dissected Allegheny Plateau in the north and east, and the valley of the West Branch Susquehanna River between these.-West Branch Susquehanna River:The West Branch of the...
. Capt. John Brady and Mary Quigley Brady had thirteen children, three of whom died in infancy. Their children were Captain Samuel Brady, born 1756; James Brady, born 1758; William Brady, born 1760 and died in infancy; John Brady, born March 18, 1761; Mary Brady (Gray), born April 22, 1764; William Penn Brady, born August 16, 1766; General Hugh Brady, twin, born July 27, 1768; Jane Brady, twin, born July 27, 1768; Robert Quigley Brady, born September 12, 1770; Agnes Brady, born February 14, 1773 and died November 24, 1773; Hannah Brady (Gray), born December 3, 1774; Joseph Brady, born in August of 1777 and died in infancy; and Liberty Brady (Dewart), born August 9, 1778.
The Quigleys
The Scottish-Irish were the earliest settlers on the Pennsylvania frontier of the early 18th century. As one author puts it.
The Cumberland Valley was dotted with Scottish-Irish settlements throughout its entire area, a district which had become almost exclusively the possession of this racial group, with whom were mingled small numbers of English and German settlers constituting perhaps ten percent of the population. It was well adapted to farming, and the Scottish-Irish, in this early period, were mostly farmers, but later they developed a marked aptitude for trade and the professions.
As pioneers, they were the advance guard blazing the trail through the wilderness far out on the frontier. They were the first line of defense against the savages, bearing the brunt of the Indian wars, and courageously enduring the hardships of pioneer life as the typical frontiersmen of provincial Pennsylvania. Step by step they had advanced along a perilous path, surmounting whatever difficulties arose, moving ever farther into the wilderness and reclaiming it to the new civilization.
Middle Spring Presbyterian Church
The Middle Spring Presbyterian Church was first built in 1738 by some of the earliest Scotch Irish settlers in Pennsylvania, and is much discussed in the histories of early Pennsylvania in general and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in particular....
was erected three miles (5 km) from their homestead, of which James and Jeanette Quigley became faithful members and in which they along with some of their children came to be buried in its old graveyard. James Quigley had to be and was ever vigilant to keep hostile Indians from killing his family and burning his home–a fate that befell many of his neighbors in those early days on the Pennsylvania frontier. In addition to successfully keeping his home and family safe, on March 25, 1756 James Quigley was commissioned ensign in the Cumberland County Colonial Rangers. He served as at private in Revolutionary War. He died in 1782. They had six children, who were all born on their Hopewell Township homestead, namely, John Quigley, born in August of 1731, Samuel Quigley, born in June of 1733, Mary Quigley (who was the wife of Major John Brady, Hugh's mother), born August 16, 1735, Agnes Quigley, born in March of 1737 or 1738, Martha Quigley, born in July of 1741 and Robert Quigley, born in 1744, who married Mary Jacob. Robert Quigley eventually ended up living on the Quigley Homestead, at Quigley Bridge, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Robert Quigley and Mary Quigley Brady remained very close throughout their lives.
The Bradys
As to the Brady grandparents of General Hugh Brady, Belle Swope states, "No family of pioneers was more conspicuous in the early history and settlement of the country than the Bradys." Hugh Brady was born in 1709 in County Cork, Ireland. Hannah's maiden name was McCormick. She was born on January 3, 1709 in Dublin, Ireland. After immigrating from Ireland, the Bradys first lived in the American colony of Delaware where they were they married in 1733. They are said to have moved to frontier Pennsylvania on the urging of prosperous friends who told them that good land was readily available. Hugh and Hannah Brady moved to the Scottish-Irish Presbyterian community on the banks of Conodoguinet creek around 1733, where they established a homestead close to where the Quigleys had already settled. They thereby became near neighbors of and fellow church members with James and Jeanette Quigley. They had nine children, Major John Brady (General Hugh Brady's father), born in 1733 in Delaware, Samuel T. Brady born in 1734, Joseph Brady born in 1735, Hugh Brady born in 1738, William Robert Brady, born in 1740 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Margaret Brady born in 1742, Mary Brady born in 1745, Ebenezer Brady born in 1750 and James Brady born in 1753. All of their children, except Major John Brady were likely born in Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Hannah Brady died in 1776 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Hugh Brady died on May 26, 1787, also in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. As are the Quigleys, they are also buried in the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.Early career
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
in General "Mad" Anthony Wayne's
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
army in 1792 and placed in a rifle company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
under the command of Captain John Crawford. By 1794, Brady rose to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, and fought with Wayne in the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
. Brady participated in the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
, which resulted in the Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
. Following the war, in 1796, he left the military, albeit temporarily, and returned to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to visit the widow of his brother, Captain Samuel Brady
Samuel Brady
Captain Samuel Brady was a frontier scout and the subject of many legends in the history of western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. He is best known for jumping across a gorge over the Cuyahoga River to escape pursuing Indians in what is present day Kent, Ohio...
.
His brother had settled in Ohio County, Virginia and after visiting his widow there, Hugh Brady decided to return home to see his family in Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
. He arrived there, after further stops in Virginia and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, in 1797. He remained in Sunbury until, during the winter of 1798–99 he was appointed a captain in a militia raised during the administration of President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
. The militia was disbanded less than two years later and Brady went about improving a plot of land, with his brother William, about 50 miles (80.5 km) from Pittsburgh along the Mahoning River
Mahoning River
The Mahoning River is a river located in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It joins the Shenango River to form the Beaver River and is part of the Ohio River watershed.- Physical properties :...
. Brady married Sarah Wallace and remained on the plot until 1807.
War of 1812
In 1807 Brady moved to Northumberland County, PennsylvaniaNorthumberland County, Pennsylvania
There were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
and remained there until 1812. In 1812 he received a commission from President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and once again rejoined the ranks of U.S. military officers. He was given command of the 22nd Infantry Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Chippawa
Battle of Chippawa
The Battle of Chippawa was a victory for the United States Army in the War of 1812, during an invasion of Upper Canada along the Niagara River on July 5, 1814.-Background:...
and the Battle of Lundy's Lane
Battle of Lundy's Lane
The Battle of Lundy's Lane was a battle of the Anglo-American War of 1812, which took place on 25 July 1814, in present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario...
, where he was severely wounded. The wounds ended his service during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Brady would remain in the military after the war, until his death in 1851.
In Michigan
In 1815 Brady was appointed Colonel Commandant to the 2nd Infantry Regiment2nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 2nd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. It has served the United States for more than two hundred years. It is the third oldest regiment in the US Army with a Lineage date of 1808 and a history extending back to 1791...
based at Sackett's Harbor, New York. In 1822, Colonel Brady and five companies of the 2nd Infantry established Fort Brady
Fort Brady
Colonel Hugh Brady established Fort Brady at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Territory in 1822 to guard against British incursions from Canada.The garrison at the fort protected exclusive American sovereignty over the northern frontier...
on the site of the French stockade Fort Repentigny (1751), along the St. Mary's River at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Territory, near Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. The outpost became an important defense structure in the upper Michigan frontier. In 1857, most of the soldiers at Fort Brady
Fort Brady
Colonel Hugh Brady established Fort Brady at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Territory in 1822 to guard against British incursions from Canada.The garrison at the fort protected exclusive American sovereignty over the northern frontier...
were withdrawn and transferred to Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Brady rose in rank to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
later that same year, after ten years service. Brady had command of the garrison at Detroit by 1828.
In late April 1832 the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
began between Sauk war chief Black Hawk's
Black Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
British Band
British Band
The British Band was a group of Native Americans which fought against Illinois and Michigan Territory militia units during the 1832 Black Hawk War. The band was composed of about 1,500 men, women, and children from the Sauk, Meskwaki, Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Ottawa nations;...
and the Illinois state and Michigan Territorial Militia. Brady left Michigan Territorial Capital for Fort Winnebago
Fort Winnebago
This article is about the U.S. Army fort. For the civil township of the same name, see Fort Winnebago, WisconsinFort Winnebago was a 19th century fortification of the United States Army located on a hill between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers in Portage, Wisconsin...
, near present-day Portage, Wisconsin
Portage, Wisconsin
Portage is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,662 at the 2010 census making it the largest city in Columbia County...
. Brady was Commandant of the Department of the Upper Great Lakes at the time and was accompanied by one aide. Brady, having seen combat in the 1790s with Wayne and during the War of 1812, was of the opinion that the Sauk could be easily defeated with only a few companies of soldiers. Brady was given command of two companies and set out to rendezvous with General Henry Atkinson, overall commander, in northern Illinois.
Much of Brady's overall involvement in this conflict was peripheral. On the afternoon of June 8, 1832, Henry Dodge
Henry Dodge
Henry Dodge was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son was Augustus C. Dodge with whom he served in the U.S. Senate, the first, and so far only, father-son pair to serve concurrently....
and his men, including James W. Stephenson
James W. Stephenson
James W. Stephenson was an American militia officer and politician from the state of Illinois. He was born in Virginia but spent most of his youth in Edwardsville, Illinois. In 1825 he was indicted for the murder of a family acquaintance, but never went to trial...
, proceeded to Kellogg's Grove
Kellogg's Grove
Kellogg's Grove is an area in western Stephenson County, Illinois, United States near the present-day unincorporated town of Kent. The grove is considered historically significant because it was the site of two minor skirmishes during the Black Hawk War in 1832. Today, most of the grove is...
and buried the victims of the St. Vrain massacre
St. Vrain massacre
The St. Vrain massacre was an incident in the Black Hawk War. It occurred near present-day Pearl City, Illinois in Kellogg's Grove on May 24, 1832. The massacre was most likely committed by Ho-Chunk warriors who were unaffiliated with Black Hawk's band of warriors. It is also unlikely that the...
. That night Stephenson returned to Galena, Illinois
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
, while Dodge moved to Hickory Point where he remained overnight. The next morning Dodge set out for Dixon's Ferry
Dixon's Ferry
Dixon's Ferry was the former name for Dixon, Illinois, United States. It was located on the bank of the Rock River near present day Illinois Route 26, John Dixon operated a rope ferry service to transport mail from Peoria to Galena. He also established the first post office. The surrounding...
, where he camped with General Brady. On June 11, Dodge escorted Brady to the mouth of the Fox River
Fox River (Illinois River tributary)
The Fox River is a tributary of the Illinois River in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois in the United States. There are two other "Fox Rivers" in southern Illinois: the Fox River and a smaller "Fox River" that joins the Wabash River near New Harmony, Indiana.-Wisconsin:The Fox River rises near...
to confer with Atkinson. Dodge left the conference with clear authority from Atkinson to deal with the violence in the mining region. Hugh Brady set out for Fort Hamilton, with the brigade commanded by Alexander Posey
Alexander Posey (general)
Alexander Posey was an American militia officer who served as a brigadier general under General Henry Atkinson during the Black Hawk War, specifically in the later stages of the second campaign as one of the commanders present at the Battle of Bad Axe.-Biography:Born in Orange County, Virginia to...
and his two companies of regular
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
s, on June 20. Brady was eventually given a larger force but was stricken with dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
in July and did not participate further in the war.
Patriot War
The Battle of Windsor was a short-lived campaign in the eastern Michigan area of the United States and the Windsor area of Upper Canada. A group of men on both sides of the border, calling themselves "Patriots", formed small militias in 1837 with the intention of seizing the Southern Ontario...
". When the U.S.-Mexican War broke out, Brady was too old to join the troops in the field but he assisted by helping to raise troops and equipment and shipping it to the war zone. In 1848, three years before his death, Brady was promoted to the rank of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
.
Late life and death
Hugh Brady died an accidental death in Detroit on April 15, 1851. Brady was at the helm of a horse-drawn carriageCarriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
, when the vehicle became entangled in telegraph wires. The wires, lowered for repairs, caused the horses to panic. In the panic, Brady was thrown from the carriage and fatally injured. He died in the presence of his pastor, Dr. (Rev.) George Duffield.