The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-02-04
Original.
History of Columbia County.
NUMBER V.

| McCLUEEs FoRT was located on the
| North Branch of the Susquehanna, con the
farm of Mrs. Mcclure, about one mile above
the mouth of Fishingcreek." 1t was built by
Lieut. Moses Van Campen in 1881, and oc-
| cupied the exact site of the present dwelling
| house of Mr.. Douglas Hughes below
Bloomsburg. Several families had settled
| along the river and on the Fishingcreek and
| this,wasa central point for the daring indian
fighter. Here he gathered his stores, and
| from this point proceeded on his excursions
through the woods. | find no account of
| any adventures or any hair breadth escapes
related about this fort, and if there is a ira
dtion of any should be glad to have it put
| in writing.
WHEELER's FORT In the spring of l77S
Lieut.. Van Campen was in command under
Col. Hunter, of a company Of six months
| men, raised for the protection of the frontiers
| and with these he was ordered to proceed up
the North Branch Of the Susquehanna to the
mouth ofFishingcreek,a ,and following up this
| miles to a compact settlement located in that
| region, build a fort for the protection Of the
inhabitants. He selected for a site the farm
Of Mr.. Wheeler, whence it was called
Wheeer's Fort. 1t was built with stock
AIDES, and was sufficiently large to accommodate
all the families in the neighborhood Be-
fore the fort was entirely completed, a runner
brought word of an approaching band of In
dians. The inhabitants fled to the fort, and
their houses and barns and grain and furni-
ture were delivered up by the savages to the
devouring flames. Then the fort was attack
ed, but it held out against them. BY even
ing the ammunition being nearly expended,
Van Campen sent two men to Fort Jenkins,
about eight miles of, on the river at Hills
place for supply. The attack was not re-
sumed. This was in May, 177S. In June
another attempt was made, narrative Of
which has lately been published in the Co
LUNIBIAN, and is therefore omitted now.
Van Campen's father lived short dis
tance from Fort Wheeler, and in 1880, in the
spring, the settlement was attacked and 4
number of the settlers killed, among them
Van Campen's father and brother. Moses
was taken prisoner, along with several Others,
and whose escape from them is related in all
the histories of the border wars.
FORT JENKINS was built on the farm of
Jacob Hill, about six miles above Blooms
burg, and about twenty rods from the river
The fort was probably dwelling house or
iginally built by the man after whom the
fort was named, for Mr.. Hill says that a low
place where he built his house was said to
be the cellar of a house built by jenkins. 1t
is first mentioned as fort in November
l77S. In April, 1879, Mr.. McClay writes
that 'Massacres and depredations have been
committed at WYOMING, Fort jenkins, Fish
ingcreek Fort Wheeler,) Freeland's Mill,
Fort Muncy and Loyal Sock, almost at one
and the same time" And Lieut.. Hunter
writes on April 9th that on the Sunday pre-
ceding the Indians attacked the inhabitants
near Fort jenkins and had taken two or three
families prisoners, but about thirty men
from the fort turned out and rescued them,
The Indians, however, drove them under
SoNNl VI tllC lplb WIN a lOoo Va hliiNS hlllSh
and four badly wounded. They burned the
houses, killed the cattle and drove off num-
Der of horses. In 1850 another raid was
made, the Indians carrying away seven or
eight prisoners from about two miles above
the fort, A few men were still retained
there but the post was insecure. The Indians
were gathering round, and the terrified in
habitants were fleeing for their lives. But
Fort jenkins, Bosley's Mills, Fort Rice and
Fort Montgomery yet stood.
In September, 1850, descent was made
by about 800 Indians and tories, and an at
tack made on Fort Rice, on the upper Chill
lisquaque, which was repulsed; but the In
dians burned and destroyed every thing in
their power along the whole frontier, and
Lieut.. Hunter hearing of the advance on
Fort Rice, ordered the evacuation of Fort
jenkins, which, with all the buildings about
it, was burned by the detachment which
moved up the North Branch. 1t seems new
er to have been rebuilt.
This is all the information concerning the
forts in Columbia county which lam able to
present here, Some fuller details will be
given in subsequent publication, but this
is enough to stimulate inquiry and produce
additional history of them, ifaAy exists, not
already in print. In his "Annals of Luzerne
County" the Hon. Stewart Pearce mentions
a"Fort Freddy, on the North Branch, below
Bloomsbury" and in another place speaks of
it as"Fort Freedley, near Bloomsburg, where
Capt, Boone and Others were slain" 1t is
most evident that Mr., Pearce is mistaken.
There was no Fort Freedley near Blooms
burg, and the fort where Boone was killed