Fort Henry (West Virginia)
| Fort Henry (Fort Fincastle) | |
|---|---|
| Wheeling, West Virginia | |
 |
|
| Type | |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Colony of Virginia and Virginia |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1774 |
| In use | 1774–1784 |
| Battles/wars |
Lord Dunmore's War
|
Lord Dunmore's War
American Revolutionary War
Fort Henry was a fort which stood about ¼ mile from the Ohio River in what is now downtown, Wheeling, West Virginia. The fort was originally known as Fort Fincastle and was named for Viscount Fincastle, Lord Dunmore, Royal Governor of Virginia. Later it was renamed for Patrick Henry, and was at the time located in Virginia. The fort was subject to two major sieges, two notable feats (McColloch's Leap and Betty Zane's trek through the battle) and other skirmishes.
Built in June 1774, Fort Henry was not erected by any specific plan or design, but was one of a number of similar forts built to protect settlers on the frontier in the middle years of the 1770s. The outbreak of the Shawnee or Lord Dunmore's War, a conflict between American Indians of the Ohio Country and Virginia, was the immediate reason for its construction.
Construction was supervised by Colonel William Crawford under the orders of the Royal Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore.
It would appear that the need for a fortified shelter was noticed simultaneously by the residents of the area, and by the military authorities at Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania), in the spring of 1774. John Connolly wrote to Wheeling and urged the settlers to fortify themselves as soon as possible.
Ebenezer Zane and John Caldwell began the fort, which was completed with the help of Captain William Crawford, Colonel Angus McDonald and 400 militia and regulars from Fort Pitt. A letter preserved in the Pennsylvania Archives shows that Connolly told Crawford "to proceed to Wheeling and complete the fort."
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Wikipedia