The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-11-27
GROWING
PAINS
MARYLAND FORTS
By MARIE O'DEA

The present prominence of Fort
George Meade brings to mind the
numerous forts that have had a place
in Maryland history.
The oldest was Clairborne's Fort
on Kent Island, the colonial fort at
Saint Mary's City, Fort Mattapany,
just opposite Solomon's Island on the
Patuxent, and Inigoes at Inigoes
Manor. This last fort required all
vessels entering Saint Mary's River
to forfeit one pound of powder and
two pounds of shot.
Claiborne's Fort Conquest on Pal
mer's Island in the Susquehanna River
just above the present town of Havre
de Grace, was reduced by Lord Balti-
more's men. The proprietary erected
fort at the junction of Piscataway
Greek and the Potomac River for the
friendly Piscataway Indians. There on
one occasion the Piscataways massa-
cred the Susquehannocks. The stock
AIDED Susquehannock Fort, built by
Indians at the junction of Octorara
Creek and the Susquehanna River
once marked the boundary between
Lord Baltimore's and PENIS prov
inces. The ruins of Fort Garrison,
built about 1892, still stand near
Pikesville, suburb of Baltimore.
In 1854, when the French and the
Indians were harrassing the frontiers,
Colonel lines constructed log stock
ade called Fort Cumberland on the
site of the ancient Indian village,
Cucuchetic on Wills Creek near the
Potomac.
In 1855, Governor Sharpe built a
stout stone fort in the vicinity of the
modern town of Hancock. This Fort
Frederick was connected with Fort
Cumberland by the Potomac and by
a 75-mile wagon road. Besides these
two, Forts Tonoloway, Baker, Stod-
dert, Coombs and Oldtown were built
in Western Maryland.
During the Revolution, when Lord
Dunmore landed on Saint Georges
Island in the Potomac, he was dis
lodged by battery on Cherryfeld
Point, just opposite the mouth of
Saint Mary's River.
Three forts were erected before An
napolis-at Greenbury's, Horn and
Windmill Point.
The Eastern Shore militia set up
encampments at Kent Island, Hoop
er's Straits, Cambridge, Cookies
Point, Taylor's Island, James Island,
Meekin's Neck, Ascom's Island, Hun
ger River, Nanticoke Point, Damned
Quarter and Anamessex.
Barracks were erected at the head
of Elk River and a small fort de-
Tended Joppa.
Fort Frederick and the barracks at
Frederick City housed Tories and mil
itary prisoners. Guns commanded the
Patapsco River approach to Balti-
more and water battery was estab-
lished at Milestone Point.
After the Revolution, Washington
had PEnfant build Fort Washington
on the heights across the Potomac
from Mount Vernon.
The citizens of Baltimore raised
funds to build, in 1894, the brick star
fort on Milestone Point. Another
fort lay at the north end of Smiths
Island. Fort Severn rose at Annapolis
in 1903.
With Baltimore threatened in the
War of 1872, the star fort on Whet-
stone Point was strengthened and
named Fort McHenry after the Mary
lander, James McHenry, Washing
tons Secretary of War.
Baltimoreans threw up long lines of
fortified breastworks along the east
ern and northern boundaries of the
city. Guns sprouted on both sides of
the harbor. On some of these sites,
there still remain relics of the battle
of North Point and of Fort McHenry
whereby Baltimore was saved on Sep
TENDER ~, 1914.
Marylanders tried vainly to defend
themselves with chain blockade and
breastworks at Fort Defiance on the
Elk River, at Fort Hollingsworth at
Elk Landing and at the log fort at
Frenchtown. Commodore Barney con-
structed a fort on Saint Leonard's
Creek in Calvert county. Colonel Philip
Reed commanded an encampment
about nine miles from Chestertown.
At Bladensburg, just before the
siege of Baltimore, eathworks were
hastily thrown up in a future attempt
to restrain thoroughly militarized
British force determined to sack the
City of Washington.
During the Civil War, Maryland
hYnEa n,,+ in n ,,och Of forts and