The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-03-21

Names Historic Old Forts and Their
Former observation-disclosures Fort
western Now a Modern
Tenement.
In Augusta, Me-, on the east side of the
Kennebec river stands building called
Fort Western, which is one hundred
and thirty-nine years old, and built on
the same pointof land where once stood
the famous New Plymouth trading
house In 1925 At Windsor. Me-, near
Waterville, according to the Boston
Herald, can be seen another-Fort Hal
ifax-erected the same year, both silent
and eloquent reminders of ye olden days
of bitter strife and struggle.
The first Maine fort-Fort ST. George
was erected in 1907, and followed by
Forts Richmond, Shirley, George and
others, around which cluster historical
events of thrilling interest.
In 1854 Gov. Shirley was informed
that the French were building fort at
noted carrying place of the Indians
on the head waters of the Kennebec, and
he commissioned Capt. North, of the
fort at Pemaquid, and Lieut.. Fletcher,
of ST. Georges fort, to start with suf-
ficient armed guard and request any
chief officer thus engaged to remove
from the ground with his soldiers. as
being within the jurisdiction of his
majesty the king of Great Britain
The same month a party of sixty In
dams, supposed to be spies, appeared at
Fort Richmond, and were insulting and
threatening.
The French were active in persuading
the Indians to prevent further settle
ment on the river, promising favor to
those who would unite with them, and
threatening vengeance on all who
should lnterpose between the Indians
and the English. In the emergency
which thus arose, the general court de-
cided that the French should at al
events be prevented from making any
settlements on the river or at the car
rying places at its head, and as the
Richmond fort was in precarious state
1t was demolished and a new one
built at Ticonnet and named Fort Hall
fax.
September it was garrisoned by one
W. Lithgow. During the building OF
this fort, committee of the Plymouth
company was engaged in erecting fort
on the east side Of Augusta, to be called
| Fort Western. The main building,
which is the one that still remains is
one hundred feet long, .thirty-two feet
wide and sixteen feet high, and is built
of timber, making solid walls twelve
inches thick. A road was then made
between Forts Halifax and Western,
and was the first military read con-
structed in Maine.
In the fall of 1854 message was sent
the governor from Fort Halifax; stat
ing that the Indians had fallen upon q
party of six of the garrison, sent out TO
draw logs, and killed one man and cap
tured four others, one only escaping to
| the fort. This act of barbarity and
treacherv on the part of the Indians,
together with the information that the
French. with the Indians, were prepar-
ing to make an attack upon the forts,
necessitated the Reinforcement Of the
garrison, aud four hundred and sixty
men were detailed from the indepen-
dent companies, to be held in readiness
to Immediately march to the relief OF
the forts on the first approach OF the
enemy.
The French and Indian war was
finally declared the following year, and
large inducements were offered to vol
unteer companies Of recruits to take
part. Two hundred dollars was prom
| ised for every Indian scalp, and two
1 hundred and fifty dollars for each cap
tive. To individuals, one hundred dol
lars for scalp and one hundred ana
ten dollars for captive.
Particular attention was paid to the
defense to the eastern frontier. Com
panies of scouts were established along
the seacoast from Saco to St.George's,
and. Forts Western and Halifax were
rarrisoned with eighty men and well
supplied with stores. The forts be-
tween the Kennebec and St. Georges
were also put in state of defense, and
the friendship of the Tarratin Indians
cultivated. But their bitter rancor
was aroused when James Cargill, OF
Newcastle, received commission to
raise a company of scouts, who on the
first day of July made an excursion for
the purpose of obtaining the govern
ment price for scalps. When near Owls
Head party of Tarratin Indian hunt
ers were discovered. Without stop
ping to inquire whether they were
friends or enemies, they were deliber-
ately shot and their scalps secured On
their return they met Margaret Moxa,
a friendly squaw, with her child. A
volley was fired upon them, killing
mother and child. Cargill was appre-
hended and tried on charge of murder,
but discharged after a confinement OF
two years.
| The war ended in 1859, when the
Indians, deserted by their French allies,
proposed peace.
Fort Western is now fanilarly
termed the ''old fort" and years ago
was converted into tenement house
Despite these modern changes, the
structure still bears many of its old
characteristics, and even to the casual
observer bears the evidences of its early
and stirring history.