Melrose in Paulding County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Fort Brown
Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009
1. Fort Brown Marker
View of the Fort Brown marker with the Little Auglaize River in the left background and the Auglaize River in the center/right background.
Inscription.
Fort Brown was built in 1812 by a "Col. Brown." Together with Fort Jennings and Fort Amanda to the south, and Fort Winchester to the north, it guarded the army supply route into the Maumee Valley. In 1813, Gen. Greene Clay's Kentucky Militia, forming the left wing of Harrison's army, passed this site in boats, on their way to relieve besieged Fort Meigs. According to tradition several soldiers are buried on this site.
Fort Brown was built in 1812 by a "Col. Brown." Together with Fort Jennings and Fort Amanda to the south, and Fort Winchester to the north, it guarded the army supply route into the Maumee Valley. In 1813, Gen. Greene Clay's Kentucky Militia, forming the left wing of Harrison's army, passed this site in boats, on their way to relieve besieged Fort Meigs. According to tradition several soldiers are buried on this site.
Erected 1953 by Paulding County Ohio Sesquicentennial Committee.
Location. 41° 6.699′ N, 84° 24.881′ W. Marker is in Melrose, Ohio, in Paulding County. Marker is on County Road 171, 0.2 miles south of County Road 177, on the left when traveling north. This Historical marker is located south of Defiance, Ohio, in a remote area of rural Paulding County, Ohio, on the west side of the Auglaize River, just to the south of where the Little Auglaize River flows into the Auglaize River. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Melrose OH 45861, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. This historical marker shares it's location with two additional historical markers, that all are situated upon the original site of Fort Brown
Regarding Fort Brown. In the "Historical Sketch - Paulding County, Ohio," when discussing the early military history of the county, it states the following: "It was first traversed by Americans under Gen. 'Mad' Anthony Wayne in 1794 enroute to the Battle of Fallen Timbers. During the War of 1812, it was crossed again by Gen. James Winchester, who fought a running battle across Emerald Twp. with the British and Indians. Also in 1812, Ft. Brown was built at the confluence of the Big and Little Auglaize Rivers by a detachment of Gen. Wm. Henry Harrison under Colonel Samuel Wells."
When looking at the bigger
Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009
2. Fort Brown Marker
This Fort Brown marker is located on the right, Site of Fort Brown monument in center, and The Indians marker is on left.
See Other Nearby Markers for additional information.
picture, when General Harrison was conducting his military operations in the Northwest, attempting to take back Detroit, invade Canada, and defeat the western British army and its Indian allies, he decided that with the logistical problems of moving his army through the hostile environment of the Great Black Swamp in northwestern Ohio, he would need to divide his army into three separate wings. The right wing would move up the Sandusky River Valley, the center wing would follow the mlitary road made by General Hull''s army, and the left wing would move up the Auglaize-Maumee River valleys. On his left wing General Harrison ordered a road to be built which would ultimately connect Piqua to Fort Defiance. Much of the road ended up being built along the western bank of the Auglaize River (and from Fort Amanda northward the Auglaize river was a navigable transportation route used extensively by the military). To protect his left wing's lines of supply and communication, General Harrison ordered several forts to be built from Piqua, Ohio to Fort Defiance. These forts ended up being, Fort Barbee (at modern day St. Mary's, Ohio), Fort Amanda (just outside of Spencerville, Ohio, situated at the head of navigation on the Auglaize River), Fort Jennings, and Fort Brown (situated just south of Fort Defiance, Ohio, at the confluence of the Little Auglaize River with the Auglaize River,
Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009
3. Fort Brown Marker
View of Fort Brown overlooking both what would have been the miitary road and the Auglaize River (also used by the military as a major transportation route).
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,536 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 14, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
