During the War of 1812, he commanded the only troops from York Co. (6,000 State militia were encamped at York) that arrived in time to take part in the battle of North Point, Baltimore. Colonel Spangler in 1816 was elected Colonel of the newly organized 94th Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia; afterwards Brigade Inspector of the 1st Brigade, 5th Division, Pennsylvania Militia, which office he filled acceptably until the close of his life. During the flood of 1817, which swept away many houses west of Codorus and consigned many to a watery grave, Michael H. Spangler proved himself quite a hero. From the Glossbrenner history of York Co. comes the following: "Before the creek had arisen to the fullness of its fearful height Col. Michael H. Spangler first with a horse and afterwards with a boat, removed many people from their houses, thereby saving them most probably from a death amid the waters. At one time there were eight persons attached to the boat, so that it was almost impossible to make it move over the waters. A few minutes and it would have been too late to have saved these beings from the fury of a merciless element." OCCUPATION: Cabinet maker. BURIED: Prospect Hill Cemetery.
Michael was born on 3 April 1791. He was the son of
Daniel Spangler and
Margaret Hahn. He married
Matilda Schriver on 15 March 1814. Michael died on 7 September 1834 at age 43.