Forts in Col. George Washington's Chain of Forts Guarding the Eighteenth Century Virginia Froniter

Forts in Col. George Washington's Chain of Forts Guarding the Eighteenth Century Virginia Froniter. . , War Comes to the Frontier, It took over one hundred years from the time that European settlers first began to build Jamestown until Governor Spotswood and his Knights of the Golden Horseshoe stood on the Blue Ridge Mountains and gazed across the Shenandoah Valley to the mountains to the west. The mountains seemed a formidable barrier, but they were also a land of hope and plenty for the Scotch-Irish and Germans who were invited to build settlements as a barrier to French encroachment from the west., Within ten to fifteen years settlers began to come to this frontier and discover its bounty. The news of this land of plenty then brought more settlers streaming into the headwaters of the Potomac and James Rivers, two great avenues from the east. Unfortunately, it then took only about twenty five years before war came to these peaceful valleys and majestic mountains., In 1749, the year that George Washington began his surveying business along the headwaters of the Potomac River, the French explorer Celeron came down the Ohio River claiming all the area it drained for the King of France. Virginia would reply to this encroachment upon land it claimed by sending George Washington to meet the French and demand their removal. The British had long hoped that their settlers would soon move west out of the mountains into the far more fertile Ohio River valley and begin settling the heartland of the continent., When the French refused to give up their claims, the stage was set for war. It would be the young Washington who would become commander of the Virginia forces and have the responsibility of guarding this vast frontier. It would be the settlers hoping to begin a new life of opportunity in this land who would suffer most., For Col. Washington the task was daunting. Where once the settlers saw bountiful valleys separated by rugged mountains offering seclusion and independence, the Commander of the Virginia Regiment saw a nightmare of supply and administration. With few resources, including men to fill his ranks, Washington decided to build a chain of forts about a day's ride apart to guard the frontier. From these bastions his men could range the frontier searching for the enemy, yet have a safe haven at night or when they were outnumbered., Along with these forts built and manned by Washington's Virginia Regiment, there were county militia forts and also fortified homes of settlers. Washington would take over some of these other forts and include them in his chain of forts running from the Potomac River to the North Carolina border. The fort at Joseph Edwards's land on the Cacapon River was one of these forts., Fort Edwards, It is not known exactly when or by whom the parts of the fort at Joseph Edwards's plantations were built, but it became an important link in Col. Washington's chain of forts. It was the first fort west of Washington's headquarters at Fort Loudoun in Winchester. It was a day's march from that fort and a day's march from Fort Pearsal at what is now Romney. At this point one can follow the Great Wagon Road to the South Branch and on to Fort Cumberland, or one can turn south and travel to Fort Pleasant below the Trough and on to the southern forts., On April 18, 1756 the largest battle of the Virginia frontier was fought near here. The newspapers reported, "A Party of Indians appearing in the Neighbourhood of the Fort, Capt. Mercer went out with three Subalterns, and 60 pick'd Men, and about a Mile from the Fort was attacked by a superior Number of Indians, whom they fought for some Time with good Success, but (the Enemy being reinforced by another Party) were at length obliged to give Way and retire to the Fort; Captain John Mercer, and Lieutenant Thomas Carter, two brave Virginian Youths, Volunteers in the Defense of their Country, were, with 15 men left in the Field; they died bravely the most honourable of Deaths…", This site of Fort Edwards is the only one of the settler's forts in the entire chain that has been definitely located and examined by archaeologists and is now interpreted for the public., Fort Pleasant, Originally called Waggener's lower Fort because it was one of two forts south of the Trough that were built by Capt. Thomas Waggener, Fort Pleasant became one of the most important forts in Washington's chain of forts. This fort was one of the few that was built solely by the Virginia Regiment to Col. Washington's specifications rather than being one adapted from a settler's home site. It was built adjacent to the most productive area of Hampshire County and served as an important incentive to the settlers to stay on their farms and supply produce for the military. It served as a collection point for supplies going to Fort Pitt at the end of the war. For a number of years it also served as the location of the Hampshire County Court until the Court finally moved to Romney., Fort Ashby, Fort Ashby was another fort built solely by the REgiment to Washington's plan. Archaeological investigation has not been able to determine its outline, but Washington's instructions called for a quadrangle fort ninety feet on a side with corner bastions and barracks and a magazine. We know from records that Daniel Morgan, later a general in the Revolutionary War, served at this fort on Patterson's Creek. While traveling from Ashby's to Edwards's, Morgan was ambushed by Indian and severely wounded. He bore the scar from a bullet through his neck and cheek for the rest of his life., Today, Fort Ashby is owned by the DAR and is open periodically for tours and for special events. For information go to: www.AshbysFort.com, Pearsal's Fort [also spelled Pearsall], Job Pearsal was an early settler on the South Branch River. Exactly when he came is not certain, but his name appears on the Fry and Jefferson Map of 1754 located on the east bank of the river astride the road from Winchester. Col. Washington first refers to the fort at this site in October, 1755. In his Council of War on July 10, 1756, Col. Washington stresses that, "it will be found necessary to maintain a Block-house at Pearsalls, to secure that difficult pass, and keep the communication open.", Pearsal's was used as a supply base for the forts of the South Branch and for supplies to go to Virginia troops at Ft. Cumberland. Troops at this fort were used to protect the neighborhood as well as to escort messengers and convoys. Both Virginia Regiment and Militia troops were stationed at various times, and friendly Indians were in attendance on numerous occasions., Settler's Forts of Hampshire County, Aside from the already-mentioned forts, there were other forts in Hampshire County. However, there are few records of their constructions or activities other than the early anecdotal histories of the area. Therefore, we do not know for sure how they were constructed and whether they were stockaded or walled. They may have been only fortified houses., THomas Parker lived on the North River across from the present village of North River Mills. His location is marked on the Fry and Jefferson map on the important Great Wagon Road from Winchester to the South Branch. Col. Washington sent soldiers to guard him and his neighbors one harvest time. Aside from that we know very little about this small settler's fort., Among other forts were several in the South Branch River valley. One of these was William's fort. It was located in the bend of the river at Hanging Rock. It is known because of a story in Kercheval's History of the Valley of Virginia where someone found refuge at William's fort. It is stories like these that are often the only way we know of forts., Henry Enoch lived at the Forks of Capon where the North River joins the Cacapon River. Gen. Edward Braddock had camped at this point in his march through the county. After Braddock's defeat Enoch, like other settlers, fortified his location and it became an important fort in the county, because it afforded protection on the new road that Braddock had built from Winchester to Fort Cumberland. It also was part of Col. Washington's chain of forts., Southern Virginia, Since Col. Washington spent most of his time as a surveyor in Hampshire County and as a soldier in the vicinity of forts Loudoun, Pleasant and Cumberland, one often forgets that southern Virginia was also well settled by the beginning of the French and Indian War. The James River was a navigable route to the backcountry, and settlers had moved into its headquarters as quickly as they had into the Potomac's. Just as Hampshire County had a route for French allied Indians so travel from Fort Duquesne along Braddock's Road, so the enemy had a route east from Ohio and Kentucky along the New River., The map below shows the main forts of the James River and Roanoke River areas. These were just as important as the ones further north and saw just as much action during the war and just as much suffering on the part of the settlers.