Where The Forts Once Stood - The 12 Forts Between Lock Haven & Sunbury PA

From A Well-Executed Failure: The Sullivan Campaign against the Iroquois, July-September 1779 by Joseph R. Fischer

"These forts, Fort Augusta alone excepted, scarcely deserved the name of forts, as they were poorly constructed, and destitute of cannon. Still, they afforded protection to many a white family who must, otherwise, have been tomahawked and scalped by the Indians, who, by the way, often had good cause for complaint and for doing what they did to our rude frontier settlers...  Fort Augusta at Sunbury was the larges, strongest, and most important of all of our forts, as it had as early as 1758, 12 cannon, 2 swivels, and 4 blunderbusses, all in good order, with an ample supply of powder, grape shot, cut shot, and other warlike materials, and was manned with 189 soldiers, including the officers in the garrison." - John F. Wolfinger Esq, in an article for the Sun Gazette in 1870

An article in the Sunbury Gazette on Oct 1 1870 lists the 12 forts that spanned the area between Lock Haven and Sunbury, as follows:

1.  Fort Reed [Reid] - "which stood where the town of Lock Haven now stands"
2.  For Horn - "which stood on Crispen's run, a little below Chathan's run, on the south side of the river"
3.  Fort Antes - "which stood where the grist mill now stands at the mouth of Nippenose creek, opposite the town of Jersey Shore"
4.  Fort Huff - "which stoood where the village of Jaysburg now stands, near the mouth of the Lycoming Creek
5.  Fort Muncy - (Muncy Farms, or Fort Wallis) "which stood a few miles above the town of Muncy, on Carpenters run"
6.  Fort Brady - "which stood on the south side of Muncy Creek, near where Port Penn now stands, on the west side of the town of Muncy. "
7.  Fort Freeland - "which stood on the warrior run creek, about half a mile north east of the Warrior Run church in Northumberland county. "
8.  Fort Heminger (Menninger) - which stood at the mouth of the Warrior Run, near Watsontown.  
9.  Fort Boone - "which stood at the mouth of Muddy run, a short distance from Warrior Run" (Later, Kemmerers Mill)
10.  Fort Schwartz - "which stood on the river band avout a mile above the town of Milton"
11.  Fort Rice - "which stood on Chilisquaque Creek near where Washingtonville in Montour county now stands, being our frontier fort in that direction" (actually located on Muddy Creek, on current day Fort Rice Road in Turbotville)
12.  Fort Augusta - "which stood on the south side of the North Branch of the Susquehanna river, about a mile above the town of Sunbury".

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Additional Forts In Our Area:

• Fort Titzell - Near Kelly Crossroads in New Columbia Pa (Not really a fort at all)
• Fort Jenkins. Located on the north bank of the North Branch of the Susquehanna, in Centre township, Columbia county, about midway between the present towns of Berwick and Bloomsburg.  
• Fort Bosley, or Bosley's Mills/Fort Boyle/Fort Brady. Located at Washingtonville, Derry township, Montour county, in the forks of the Chilisquaqua Creek
•  Fort Wheeler. Located on banks of Fishing Creek, about three miles above present town of Bloomsburg, on B. & S. R. R, In Scott township, Columbia county, at Shew's paper mill.
• Fort McClure. Located on bank of river within the present limits of town of Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Penna.
• Fort Jenkins located on the north bank of the North Branch of the Susquehanna, in Centre township, Columbia county, about midway between the present towns of Berwick and Bloomsburg.

Sunbury Gazette on Oct 1 1870 

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Fort Hendricks / The Schoch Block House

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Frontier Forts in the Revolution

BY DEWEY S. HERROLD

This historical narrative covers a total of fourteen forts within the North and West branches of the Susquehanna, with the exception of Fort Augusta which has been treated previously. If we check them on a modern map we would find them extending from Fort Jenkins located on the North bank of the North branch of the Susquehanna in Center township, Columbia county, about midway between the present towns of Berwick and Bloomsburg in the east and forming an irregular line westward to Fort Reid, located in the town of Lock Haven, Clinton county, on what is now Water Street, in close proximity and east of the old Bald Eagle canal. We shall take a fifteen minute trip over the route of these forts, but first the reason why this line of forts was built. The years of the Revolutionary War were years of great activity and danger here on the frontier. The regular military authorities had done their level best to protect the frontier, but they had few officers and fewer men to spare from the Continental Army, and as a result almost the total defense of this section between the North and West branches and down along the Susquehanna fell upon the local heroes and heroines that manned these forts of the Susquehanna's branches. The forts which we shall visit are as follows: running from Jenkins in the East, followed by McClure, Fort Wheeler, Fort Bosley, or Bosley's Mills; Fort Rice, Fort Freeland, Fort Swartz, Fort Boone, Fort Menninger, Fort Brady, Fort Muncy, Fort Antes, Fort Horn, and ending with Fort Reid in Lock Haven.

A chain of forts more or less protective had been constructed, reaching from the West branch to the North branch of the Susquehanna. These forts, six in number, were strategically located on the great warpath through the valley, which was known as "The Fishing Creek Path." It started on the flats near Bloomsburg, on the North branch, went up Fishing Creek to Orangeville, on to near Long Pond, now called Ganoga Lake, and then across to Tunkhannock creek. On this path or Indian trail, Major Moses Van Campen, central Pennsylvania's most prominent Indian fighter, was captured by the Indians in 1780 and taken to the British. The British were so impressed with this great American that they offered him a commission in the British service, hinting that if he did not accept, he would again be turned over to the Indians, and that mercy from them was unknown. He turned to his British captors and said, "Give me the stake, the tomahawk, and the scalping knife before I dishonor the name of an American officer."

Forts on the Fishing Creek path were Muncy, Freeland, Rice, Bosley's Mills, Wheeler and Jenkins. Fort Jenkins was erected in the fall and winter of 1777 and 1778. It was 60 x 80 feet within the stockade and was built by Col. Hartley's men around the house of Mr. Jenkins, the owner, who had been a merchant in Philadelphia formerly. Its size would indicate that it could hold the owner's family and the families nearby as well as a small company of rangers or an additional 20 or 30 men. It was situated on a high bank on the North branch of the Susquehanna, and overlooked the river as well as the country around about the fort. It served as the right flank of defense for this line of forts and in conjunction with Fort Wheeler on Fishing Creek, covered the settlers within their line to the river from Indian raids. Its first garrison of about 30 men was commanded by Colonel Hartley. Colonel Adam Hubley, Jr., who succeeded him, marched the regiment away, when County Lieut. Col. Hunter furnished a few men, who with the citizens of the neighborhood held the fort until the arrival of Col. Ludwig Weltner with the German Battalion about the latter part

of 1779, on their return from the Sullivan campaign. Although Fort Jenkins stood only a few years, from late 1777 till its destruction by the Indians and Tories late in 1780, it would indicate from the Indian raids in its neighborhood, to have been very much in the way of the Indians.

Our attention is now directed to Fort Wheeler, about eight miles due west from Fort Jenkins, located on the banks of Fishing Creek about three miles above the present site of Bloomsburg in Scott township, Columbia county, at Shews paper mill. Lieut. Moses Van Campen, in his notes states that early in the month of April 1778, he was ordered to go with his men up the North branch of the Susquehanna River to the mouth of Fishing Creek and follow up this creek three miles to a compact settlement, located in that region, and build a fort for the reception of the inhabitants in case of an attack by the Indians; news had come thus early of their having visited the outer line of settlements and of their committing depredations, so that terrified messengers were arriving almost daily, bringing the sad news of houses burned, victims scalped and of families carried into captivity.

Time was short, a few days, or perchance a few hours, and the savages might be amongst them to repeat these scenes of cruelty and bloodshed. Lieut. Von Campen, and the men under his command, numbering twenty men, who were familiar with the country, expert in the use of the rifle, and thoroughly acquainted with the Indian modes of warfare, accordingly entered vigorously upon the work, selecting as a site for the fort, the farm of Mr. Wheeler, hence when completed it became Fort Wheeler. It was built of stockades and large enough to accommodate all the families of the neighborhood. Anticipating an early approach of the foe, the men worked feverishly to complete the fort so that the best protection could be offered.

We shall now move to Fort McClure which was located on the bank of the river within the present limits of Bloomsburg. It was built after the destruction of Fort Jenkins in 1780. The loss of this fort had exposed the right flank of the protecting forts and the Indian marauders made wild work among the defenseless frontier. After Van Campen's return from captivity he assisted in organizing a new force, repaired the forts that had been dismantled or abandoned, and also stockaded the residence of Mrs. James McClure, and the place was thereafter called Fort McClure. It became the headquarters for stores and expeditions into the Indian country, and was an important point so long as it was necessary to maintain fortifications on the river. It was never formally attacked; however, Indians frequently were seen lurking in the vicinity.

Our journey now is northwesterly to Fort Bosley, or Bosley's Mills. This fort was located at Washingtonville, Derry township, Montour county, in the forks of the Chillisquaque creek. It was the grist mill of a Mr. Bosley who moved here from Maryland, bringing his Negro slaves with him. The mill was built in 1773 and stockaded or fortified in 1777 when Indian outbreaks occurred; about this time the mill was garrisoned by troops, and it became quite an important point after the fall of Fort Freeland, since it held the forks of the Chillisquaque, and defended the stream below. It became a haven of refuge for the families of this region during the Indian alarms. It was never strongly garrisoned, probably twenty men being the most that were at the fort at any time. History does not record any attacks being made on this mill, or fort, it evidently proving too strong for the Indians.

We shall now swing four miles westward and come to Fort Rice at Montgomery. Fort Rice or Fort Montgomery (still standing and in an excellent state of preservation) is located in Lewis township, Northumberland county, west of Bosley's Mills and three miles from the site of Fort Freeland. At the time of the capture of Fort Freeland, the present site of Fort Rice was the farm of Mr. John Montgomery, who in 1771 had exchanged his farm at Paxtang for this farm of William Patterson, at Paradise. The Montgomery family became well known as excellent frontiersmen. At the time of the capture of Fort Freeland, July 28, 1779, John Montgomery living here, heard the firing; mounting two of his young sons on horses he sent them to the top of the hill to learn the cause of the firing. On arriving at the brow of the hill overlooking the creek they discovered the fort on fire and a fight raging in the timber some distance below. They returned and reported what they had seen; he loaded up his family in a wagon, with what provisions and clothing they could carry and hurriedly drove across the country to the cabin of William Davis. After informing him what was going on he gathered up his family and proceeded to Fort Augusta at Sunbury. The Indians burned Mr. Montgomery's house; he took his family to Paxtang, where they remained to the close of the war. Fort Freeland having been burned, a place between Freeland and Montgomery's place was deemed desirable for the erection of another fort. The Montgomery farm was at last selected, and here Captain Rice of Colonel Weltner's German Regiment, erected the fort in the fall and winter of 1779 and 1780. It was built around and enclosed the fine spring at the burned residence of John Montgomery, and still remains to this day, a lasting tribute to the careful and painstaking work of Captain Rice's Pennsylvania Germans. First, building a stockade for security they completed it, building it out of surface limestone. They occupied and defended their handiwork very ably. The only attack made on the fort was made during September 1780. Fort Rice is a stone building 26 feet long and 23 feet wide, outside measurements, it is two stories high and has an attic four feet high, the building being 22 feet high from the ground up to its square on the west side. It is built over a splendid spring, and had been used as a spring house. The walls are two feet thick and in a splendid state of preservation, and some of the portholes are still visible.

We swing westward for several miles and come to the site of Fort Freeland. It was located on the North side of Warrior Run, about four miles east of Watsontown, Northumberland county. It stood about one quarter mile east of well-known Warrior Run church. It was stockaded in the fall of 1778 by Jacob Freeland and his neighbors, enclosing a large two-story log house of Jacob Freeland. The following information is from Mary V. Derickson's letter of 1855. She was born the daughter of Cornelius Vincent and was born within the fort in 1779. "In the year 1772 my father, Cornelius Vincent, with five other families cut their way through the wilderness and settled near where the fort was later built. Soon several more families moved in, the Indians were friendly until 1777, when they began to make trouble. In '78 during the summer some of the families were removed as a precautionary measure, to return again in the fall when the Freeland father's two-story log house was stockaded and became Fort Freeland. It enclosed half an acre of ground and the stockade was quite closely set and was about twelve feet high. Into this fort the families of Jacob Freeland, Sr., Jacob Freeland, Jr., John Little, Michael Freeland, John Vincent, George Pach, Cornelius Vincent, Moses Kirk, James Durham, Samuel Gould, Isaac Vincent and David Vincent, all gathered and lived during the winter of 1778-1779."

After the surrender of forts Freeland and Jenkins Capt. Boone and Capt. Dougherty arrived with thirty men. Supposing the fort still held, they made a dash across Warrior Run, when they were surrounded. Captains Hawkins, Boone, and Samuel Dougherty, with nearly a half of the force, were killed, the others broke through their enemies and escaped. Thirteen of the scalps were brought into the fort in a handkerchief. Soon thereafter the fort was burned to the ground. The total killed, of the garrison, and Capt. Boone's company numbered twenty men or more. The heaviest loss was the death of Captains Boone and Dougherty. This ended Fort Freeland. It was never properly garrisoned, properly fortified nor fully supplied with necessary munitions to wage a successful border warfare. Its loss caused the desertion of Boone's Mills and practically uncovered Fort Augusta. Bosley's Mills stood alone with a small garrison. The situation was critical; however, in November the German battalion numbering 120 men was sent to Colonel Hunter who strengthened his base at Fort Augusta, and built Fort Rice. Fort Swartz, and Fort Jenkins, and garrisoned them all with from twenty to thirty men. This was the state of affairs in 1780, a line of forts, rather weakly garrisoned and fortified but they held.

We now move onward, in a westerly direction to Boone's Fort or Boone's Mills. It was located on Muddy Run near its mouth between the present towns of Milton and Watsontown, and lying about two miles below Watsontown in Northumberland county, near to the West branch of the Susquehanna. It was a grist mill that had been stockaded, and owned by Capt. Hawkins Boone, a cousin of the famous Daniel Boone, who had come from Berks county. Capt. Boone had been an officer of the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania line, and with the consolidation of this regiment with the third and the sixth Capt. Boone, Capt. Brady and Capt. Dougherty were mustered out of service in the Continental Army and sent home at the urgent request of the people of the West branch to lead them in the defense of their homes. It seems a tragedy that these three brave, generous soldiers should lose their lives here at home fighting Indians, when they escaped during their fighting in the Continental Army under Washington.

We shall now move down the river to Fort Swartz, located on the east bank of the West branch of the Susquehanna about one mile above Milton, in Northumberland county. Fort Swartz was of log construction and was named in honor of Lieut. Christian Godfried Swartz of Colonel Weltner's German Battalion who stockaded and defended it. It was built after the destruction of the forts above it on the river. It was probably built late in 1779 or early in 1780, because we read from a report that it was one of three standing from the North branch to the West branch in the spring of 1780, namely Forts Wheeler, Rice and Swartz. This fort was probably never attacked, but served as a bastion to curb any enemy from coming down the river toward Northumberland and Sunbury.

We now move in a northeasterly direction and soon arrive at Fort Brady, located in the northern portion of the present town of Muncy. It was the dwelling house of Capt. John Brady, probably central Pennsylvania's most famous soldier and Indian fighter. Fort Brady was a large house and well-stockaded after Capt. Brady was sent home by General Washington in 1777 to organize the people for defense. Two years later he was killed, April 11, 1779, at Wolf Run above Muncy. Much could be said about the qualities of Capt. Brady, but time does not permit, however we shall quote from Hon. John Blair Linn at the dedication of the Brady monument in 1879, one hundred years after the death of John Brady- "To the valley his loss was well-nigh irreparable; death came to its defenders, and 'Hell followed' hard after. In May, Buffalo Valley was overrun and the people departed. The 8th of July Smith's Mills, at the mouth of White Deer creek was burned, and on the 17th Muncy Valley was swept with the besom of destruction. Starrett's Mills and all the principal houses in Muncy township were burned, with Forts Muncy, Brady, Freeland, and Sunbury became the frontier."

We continue moving northward, for about four miles to Hall's station, the location of Fort Muncy. The fort itself was located about a half mile north of Hall's station, in Lycoming county, and a few hundred yards, directly in front of the famous Hall's Stone House. It was built by Colonel Hartley in 1778 at the urgent request of Samuel Wallis, who had built the stone house mentioned a moment ago, as early as 1769. It was designed to be the most important stronghold next to Augusta, and was situated midway between that place and the farthest settlement up the river; it was built on a rising piece of ground at the foot of which was a fine spring of water. A covered way led from the fort to this natural fountain as a protection for those who carried the water. The bastions of the fort were built of fascines and clay and the curtains were protected by the stockades in which were quarters for the garrison. Fort Muncy, when well supplied and properly garrisoned, was an important position for defense of the valley below. Nearby at Hall's Station is the grave of Capt. John Brady.

We now turn and travel south along the river until we come to White Deer, Union county. Here was located Fort Menninger, at White Deer Mills on the West bank of the West branch of the Susquehanna. It was built in the spring of 1778, west of the mills which had been built before 1776. The fort, a stone house, and the mills formed an irregular triangle and was capable of being strongly fortified. The walls of the stone house were two feet thick, and were not destroyed. The fort and the mills were abandoned at the time of the Big Runaway in 1779. The fort was burned by the Indians July 8, 1779.

We now journey across the county to the east side of Nippenose creek, opposite Jersey Shore, the site of Fort Antes. It was built on a plateau overlooking and commanding the West branch of the Susquehanna River in 1778. Its defender was Colonel John H. Antes, who built it and commanded its garrison until ordered to vacate it by Col. Samuel Hunter. At the time defense of these forts was deemed inadvisable by the military authorities. Meginnis has this to say about this fort: "The most important defensive work, after leaving Fort Muncy and traveling westward by the river about twenty-five miles was what was known among the early settlers as Antes Fort, because it was built by John Henry Antes, on a high bluff overlooking the river and the Indian land to the west, at the head of Long Island."

Colonel Antes was a remarkable man in many respects. He was chosen sheriff of Northumberland county 1782, reelected in 1783. His first wife, Anna Marie Paulin, died March 1767, leaving him five children. By his second wife, Sophia Snyder, he had eight children. Colonel Antes had an elder brother, Philip Frederick, who married Barbara Tyson in 1755. Their youngest daughter, Catherine, married Simon Snyder about 1796. The latter was Governor of Pennsylvania in 1808 and served until 1817 for three terms. Colonel Antes died May 13, 1820, aged 83 years, 9 months and 5 days, and was buried in the graveyard near the fortification, in a burial ground that was started for those who were killed by the Indians.

We shall now turn to Fort Reid, the most westerly of the line of forts which stretched across the country from the North branch of the Susquehanna to the West branch. It was located in the town of Lock Haven, Clinton county, on Water Street very close to and directly east of the old Bald Eagle canal. Reid's Fort was the dwelling house of William Reid and was fortified in the spring of 1777. Traces of this fort could still be seen as late as 1820.

Lastly we shall travel down to Richfield, Snyder county, and visit, not the remains, nor merely the site, but the actual Pomfret Castle Fort, in the extreme western part of Snyder county. This fort is at present in a splendid state of preservation, and is used as a spring house on the farm owned and tenanted by Mr. Philip S. Winey. It lies in a northwesterly direction about one-half mile from the town of Richfield. It is of native stone structure and is about 24 feet wide and 30 feet long. It is built over an unfailing spring, insuring the defenders of an abundance of water. Its location was splendidly selected by the early settlers. It commands the gap in the mountain through which ran the great Indian trail leading down to Virginia, eastward to Shamokin, or westward to the Ohio river country. According to colonial records this fort and two others were ordered built by the colonial authorities December 17, 1755. We find that on May 29, 1756, Pomfret Castle Fort was fired upon by a band of Indians who took as prisoner, one named Hugh Michaeltree. Tradition states that at numerous times bands of Indians appeared about the fort, but were never able to invest it.

The Historical Record. (1897).