The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-22
JUDGE CRANMER
DESCRIBES THE
OLD ST0CKADE
That Has Come Down in History as
Fort Henry-It Was Built By
General Clark, and
FIRST WAS NAMED FlNCASTLE,
But at the Outbreak of the Revolution
the Name of Virginia's Gov
ernor Was Given It.


After the lapse of a century and a
quarter the s.:e of Fort Henry is to be
marked with monument accompanied
with appropriate ceremonies A brief
resume OF the history of this fort is
highly appropriate at this particular
period. 1t was erected by the settlers
and land jobbers in the year 1T74, hav-
ing been planned by General George
Rogers Clark, commandnnt of the
western military department. Origin
ally it was named Fort Flncastle, in
honor of Lord Dunmore, then colonial
governor Of Virginia, Flncastle being
one of the titles attached to his name
and person. In the year 1875, however,
its name was changed to that of Fort
Henry, in honor OF Patrick Henry, the
first patriot governor or the common
wealth.
Its shape was a parallelogram, being
about $50 feet in length, and about $50
feet in width, and was surrounded by
pickets from twelve to sixteen feet in
height, and contained bastlons at each
corner.
Inside of the stockade cabins were
erected for the sake OF such as might
seek refuge in 1t from the attacks Of
the Indians. About the center OF the
stockade stood block house two stor-
les in height, the second story project
ing over the lower, which was filled
with port holes, through which the
trusty rifles of the pioneers sent their
death-dealing missiles. The bastions
likewise were pierced with port holes.
On the top of the bastion was mount
ed swivel, said to have been captured
from the French when the English at
tucked Fort Duquesne. This swivel did
effective work in emergencies.
Wells of never falling water were
sunk in the enclosure, from which u
fresh supply was secured at all times.
eirdy Not There.
At the east Of the fort and about
fifty yards distant from It stood tn.
cabin Of Colonel Ebenezer Zane, which
was built Of hewn logs, containing two
rooms on each side of the opening
through the building. A Kitchen, or out
building, was situated in the rear.
There was also small magazine for
military stores. The clubhouse served
as an outpost during the last Siege Of
the fort, which occurred on the 1ltb day
Of September, 1852, and contributed in
no small degree to the defeat of the In
dams and their British allies on that
memorable occasion. At the Siege OF
the fort in iTs2 the ,assaiiants num-
bered about 800, and were under COM
mand Of Captain Pratt, of the Queens
Rangers. BY many writer's Simon Girty
IS asserted to have been In command |
Of the besiegers, but this is a mistake.
on the occasion OF this siege the notice
Of the approach of the enemies to the
ssttlers was short and sudden, they |
having barely tlme to escape to the
shelter of the fort, so unexpected was
their appearance, consequently their
homes and live stock were exposed to |
the rapaclty and cruelty of the savages,
who embraced the opportunity of de-
stroyinE as much as they could not
carry away. 1t was toward evening |
that the allied forces put in their APP
pearance and from the time OF their ar
rival to midnight they made repeated
and furious assaults on the Inmates,
which were as often repulsed.
At the dawn of day the attack was
renewed, but with as little success as
during the night preceding. On the
afternoon of the second day the be-
sleEed, finding that their stock Of pow
der was nearly exhausted, It became
a serious question as to what means TO
adopt to secure supply. There was
an ample store Of It in the magazine
at Colonel Eane's cabin, but apparently
for all practical purposes II might have
been a hundred miles away. The crit.
ical state of AFFAIRS having been made
known to the inmates, volunteers were
asked for to undertake the perllous
tent of going to Colonel zane's cabin
for the purpose of obtaining the needed
supply Several young men who were
feet Of foot, as well as bold and lntrep-
ID, cIamoEedtO have the preference In