Forts

 

The sources provide information about several forts in the Virginia and West Virginia area, many of which were built in the mid-1700s as a defense against Indian attacks. Here's a summary of the forts mentioned:

Fort Dinwiddie:

• Location: On the Jackson River, near Warm Springs, also referred to as Warwick's Fort. It was located about one mile above where the Warm Springs and Huntersville turnpike crosses Jackson's river, opposite the gap through which said turnpike road passes over Back Creek Mountain.
• Construction: The structure of Fort Dinwiddie, like many other forts of the time, was a stockade made of logs placed closely together endwise in the ground. It included an underground passageway, covered with logs, from the blockhouse to a spring within the stockade. This passageway allowed people to access water without being exposed to enemy fire.
• Purpose: Fort Dinwiddie was part of a chain of forts built by Governor Dinwiddie to protect the Virginia frontier. It was garrisoned during the open months of the year from 1755 to 1789.
• Command: Captain Peter Hog was in command of Fort Dinwiddie in 1756. Other captains who served in command at the fort include Audley Paul, John Lewis, Robert McCreary, Thomas Hicklin, Andrew Lockridge, and George Poage.
• Significance: The fort was a key part of the defense system in the area, although some settlers preferred to stay home and defend their families rather than rely on the forts. It was also one of the forts that George Washington inspected during a tour of the Allegheny Mountains.

Fort Young:

• Location: In Covington, it was six miles west of Fort Dinwiddie, at the foot of the slopes of the Alleghany Mountains.
• Construction: The fort was built by Peter Hog in 1756, under orders from Col. George Washington.
• Purpose: Fort Young was part of a line of forts built to the southward from Fort Dinwiddie.
• Historical Note: The fort was garrisoned for a few months and then records are silent about its further use.

Other Forts Mentioned:

• Fort Vance: Located one mile south of Mt. Grove and built by Samuel Vance in 1734. George Washington visited this fort in 1755-56.
• Vance's Fort: A small fort, was used at Back Creek, at the point now called Mountain Grove prior to 1777.
• Fort Lewis: Located on Cowpasture, seven miles south of Williamsville.
• Fort Miller: Located nine miles south of Vanderpool and was visited by Washington in 1755-56.
• Fort Wilson: Located near Stony Run Presbyterian Church on Jacksons River and built in 1763.
• Fort Warwick: Individually or community built.
• Fort Greenbank: Individually or community built.
• Fort at Cloverlick: Individually or community built.
• Fort at Elkwater: Individually or community built.
• Fort Drennen: Located near Marlinton.
• Fort Cocke: Located on the lower point of land on the Potomac at the junction of the Little Cacapon River. Also referred to as "Friend Cox" on a survey by Washington in 1747 or 48.
• Fort Ashby: A stockade on the eastside of Patterson's Creek, 12 miles from Fort Cocke.
• Fort Redstone : Part of a line of defenses extending west and running south from Fort Pitt.
• Fort Henry: Part of the line of defenses that extended south from Fort Pitt.
• Fort Necssity: Part of the line of defenses.
• Fort Buttermilk: A stockade 3 miles above the present town of Moorefield.
• Fort Capon: A small stockade at the "Forks of Capon River".
• Fort Chiswell: Located on a portage between the Holston and New River just west of the eighty-first meridian.
• Fort Brackenbridge: Located on Jackson's River, in Bath County, 16 miles from Dickinson's Fort on the same stream.
• Wallace Austin's Fort (Fort George): Located on Bull Pasture River in present Highland or Bath County. It was 80 feet square and was considered "best of the kind in the country.".
• Fort Feamster: A unique block house in Meadow Lake, a mile south of Williamsville in Bath County.
• Fort Hinkle: Located in Pendleton county in Germany Valley near Riverton.
• Fort Mann: Located in Alleghany County, near the mouth of Falling Spring. It is also referred to as Fort Christian.
• Fort Breckinridge: Located at Green Valley in Bath County, five miles northeast of Blowing Cave.
• Fort on the Warm Springs Mountain: This fort was garrisoned during the open months of the year.
• Fort at Clover Lick: Located in Pocahontas county.
• Fort at Green Bank: Located in Pocahontas County.
• Forts in the Levels: Located in Bath County in 1790.
• Wilson's Stockade: Located in Highland County within the original limits of Bath.
• Carpenter's Stockade: Located in Highland County.
• Mose Mann's Stockade: Located on Jackson's River in Highland County.

General Fort Information:

• Construction: Most forts were stockades made of logs, placed closely together endwise in the ground.
• Defense: Forts were built as a defense against Indian attacks and were part of a larger system of frontier defenses.
• Garrison: Forts were often garrisoned only during the open months of the year.
• Spacing: The forts were generally located about 20 miles apart, in a meandering fashion along nearly 2000 miles.
• Inspection: Col. George Washington made a tour of inspection of the forts during the fall of 1756.

This information provides a sense of the number and distribution of forts in the area. These forts played a crucial role in the defense and settlement of the region during a period of conflict.