Siege of Fort Henry (1782)

Siege of Fort Henry

Sketch of Ft Henry

Date	September 11-13, 1782
Location	Wheeling, West Virginia
Result	Loyalist-Indian defeat

Belligerents

Virgina militia

Great Britain,
Loyalist
Native American Indians

Commanders and leaders

Colonel David Shepard
Colonel Silas Zane

Captain Pratt
George Girty

Strength

Just over 40 men

40 Loyalists
260 Native americans

Casualties and losses

1 wounded

From September 11 to 13 1782, a force of about 300 Wyandot, Shawnee, Seneca, and Delaware Indians laid siege to Fort Henry, accompanied by a force of 50 British Butler's Rangers. The siege is commonly known as “The Last Battle of the Revolutionary War", despite subsequent skirmishes involving the loss of life which took place in New Jersey later in 1782.

Fort Henry rests just off of the Ohio River in what is now Wheeling, West Virginia, between the southeast border of Ohio and northwest border of West Virginia. The colonists were disobeying royal order that all land west of the Appalachian Mountains was reserved for Native Americans, and the area had a history of violence between the Natives and Settlers.

The large force of Native Americans gathered on the Sandusky River under the direction of Simon Girty. Girty had been captured by Natives as a child and grew up in their society, gaining notoriety for his savagery towards settlers. This force met with the Butler’s Rangers and the entire company was put under the direction of Captain Pratt.

As the force arrived at Fort Henry the Zane family, under direction of Colonel David Shephard, was charged with defending the fort. The defending force was made up of 40 men and boys protecting the 60 women and children from the surrounding area who had come to the fort for protection.

Girty and Pratt demanded surrender but Shephard refused, resolving to fight to the death in order to protect the people within his fort. The settlers were prepared to handle this siege because a similar force of Native Americans and British had attacked the fort before and burned all of the homes and buildings to the ground. Between the former siege and this one the wooden model cannon that previously rested on the barracks had been replaced by a real one, in addition the homes of the settlers had been rebuilt, including that of Ebenezer Zane. His home contained a store of surplus ammunition and arms and it had been decided to occupy it in case of another attack. Being notified of the approach of the enemy by John Lynn, a scout, preparations were speedily made for the expected attack. Those who remained within the Zane house were Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane (Colonel Zane's wife), Molly Scott, Miss McCulloch, a sister of Major Samuel McCulloch, a slave and his wife, "Daddy Sam" and Kate. From all other homes the occupants had entered the fort. Although Colonel David Shepherd was superior officer in the county it appears that Colonel Silas Zane was again in command.

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Wikipedia