Attacks 1755-1756
April SPRINGTIME IS WAR TIME
HELL’S VENGEANCE CYCLE
begins every Spring
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by Jim Moyer compiled in 2015, updated 3/6/2017, 4/2/2017, 4/15/18, 10/2/2018, 1/18/2019, 4/12/2020, 12/26/2023
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List of attacks and battles:
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Way before any big troubles:
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1750 Cabins burned by PA provincial authorities to satisfy Indian protests
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1752 Raid on Pickawillany
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Attacks after Braddock in 1755
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October 1755 Jane Frazier, wife of Lt John Frazier, taken captive
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October 1755 Attacks on Cresap’s Fort. One of the many incidents attributed to Killbuck.
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1755 Mary Draper Ingles capture and escape
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1 November 1755 Great Cove Massacre
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ATTACKS IN SPRING 1756
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February 1756 Sandy Creek Expedition led by Major Andrew Lewis
23 March 1756 Sieur Douville given orders to attack Fort Maidstone depot
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End of March Early April 1756 – BATTLE OF THE TROUGH end of March or early April 1756 . No court martials followed this particular battle, The Battle of the Trough. ” In a controversial action still being debated many years later, Captain Thomas Waggener did not sally forth to assist the local militia engaged in that battle with the Indians until the following day. ” – page 181 of Norman Baker’s French and Indian War in Frederick County.
End of March Early April 1756 – BATTLE OF THE TROUGH
1 April 1756 Jean Lowry and Her Children, taken by the Indians
7 April 1756 Colonel GW back from Boston, now in Winchester VA
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7 April 1756 Sieur Douville is killed and scalped
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8 April 1756 Lt Bacon of Maryland and 5 Ashby’s rangers reported killed, and Cox Fort attacked
8 April 1756 Lt Bacon of Maryland and 5 Ashby’s rangers reported killed, and Cox Fort attacked
April 1756 Attack on Martin’s Fort (Seller’s Fort).
15 April 1756 Attack on Martin’s Fort (Seller’s Fort).
15 April 1756 attack on Fort Ashby .
16 July 1756 Vincent Williams near Fort Pleasant killed, chopped up to adorn his cabin
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17 April 1756 Daniel Morgan shot through the neck and out left jaw of teeth
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18 April 1756 Battle of the Great Cacapon near Fort Edwards, 20 miles from Winchester
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Late April 1756, Evans Fort attacked, north of Winchester VA. And a woman supervised that defense. While the men were absent having gone to the vicinity of the attack on Kelly near Bell’s Fort, Mrs Polly Evans created enough activity to convince the Indians the fort was well defended. The Indians then took a girl capture near the settlement of John Strode whose dwelling was put to the torch just nearby. Historian Kercheval stated these same Indians then overwhelmed Neally’s Fort taking a number of prisoners. Following this Indian Raid, Washington staffed a number of these forts with men from the VA Regiment.
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2 May 1756 Court Martials HELD IN WINCHESTER VA following the Battle of the Great Cacapon
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18 May 1756 Building of Fort Loudoun begins
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29 May 1756 Tom Step of the Nottoway with Cresap and Lt Nathaniel Gist
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16 July 1756 Vincent Williams near Fort Pleasant killed, chopped up to adorn his cabin
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August 1756 Attack on Fort Nichols MD. Four were killed, 3 wounded, 3 taken prisoner of the 30 militia there
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8 Sept 1756 Attack on Kittanning. Map location, old archive book, link 2. link 3
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BACK FROM BOSTON
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After a long trip started in February 1, 1756 to Boston
to see Governor William Shirley of Massachussetts,
who was also Commander in Chief
of all NorthAmerican forces,
to settle the issue of Capt Dagworthy
not submitting to Washington’s command
at Fort Cumberland,
Washington finally arrives
BACK IN WINCHESTER APRIL 7, 1756
to find the frontier in turmoil,
and a report about a dead Frenchman, Sieur Douville,
who had plans to destroy
in the heart of many settler’s forts and homesteads.
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THE BRADDOCK HIGHWAY
GW knew the highway they just built
for the failed Braddock Expedition
was a two way street.
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The enemy was going to use it.
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And they will be coming.
Still, confusion in command
is not good under attack,
so he needs to solve that Dagworthy problem.
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Colonel Washington on 7 April 1756 writes Lt Gov Dinwiddie of Virginia:
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“However absurd it may appear,
it is nevertheless certain,
that five hundred Indians have it
more in their power to annoy the Inhabitants,
than ten times their number of Regulars.
For, besides the advantageous way
they have of fighting in the Woods,
their cunning and craft are not to be equalled;
neither their activity and indefatigable Sufferings:
They prowl about like Wolves;
and like them, do their mischief by Stealth—
They depend upon their dexterity in hunting,
and upon the Cattle of the Inhabitants for provisions.”
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SANDY CREEK AND ANDREW LEWIS
This reality although true, contained a real hidden nugget.
Col Washington in the north and
Washington’s right hand man,
Major Andrew Lewis, in the south,
who had just come
from the failed Sandy Creek Expedition,
were about to be hit by ONE SINGLE INDIAN.
AGAIN.
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But now war parties infested the woods.
Fort Edwards needed help.
Fort Cumberland needed help.
And the Magazine at Fort Maidstone needed help.
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WHY GO WHEN DANGER WAS COMING?
Why did George Washington choose
to make such a long trip to Boston
knowing Springtime is going to get HIT, really HIT ?
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Links
February 1, 1756 to April 7, 1756 for Washington’s Boston Trip:
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This is one leader who may have been directing or a part of each one of these attacks and battles:
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at the Battle of Jumonville Glen in May 1754
leading to Fort Necessity July 1754 and at
later that Fall 1755 around Fort Cumberland
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End of March 1756 Battle of the Lost River
End of March Early April 1756 – BATTLE OF THE TROUGH
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8 April 1756 Lt Bacon of Maryland and 5 Ashby’s rangers reported killed, and Cox Fort attacked
15 April 1756 Attack on Martin’s Fort (Seller’s Fort).
15 April 1756 attack on Fort Ashby .
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18 April 1756 Battle of the Great Cacapon near Fort Edwards, 20 miles from Winchester
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16 July 1756 Vincent Williams near Fort Pleasant killed, chopped up to adorn his cabin
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Other attacks masterminded by Killbuck Sr resulted in many deaths, heroism, cowardice and ensuing court martial trials held in Winchester.
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Attack on Fort Upper Tract. No living witnesses. The story is dark.
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Read about the 28 April 1758 attack
on Fort Seybert
also led by Killbuck Sr
in a story by Bonnie S Johnston,
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THE MAGAZINE, THE DEPOT
See another map of that Fort Maidstone (which guarded the Magazine the Frenchman had instructions to destroy) of Virginia side across from today’s Williamsport Maryland, near the Conococheague.
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ROBERT ROGERS
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During this same trip Gov Shirley of Massachusetts and Commander overall of North America hands Robert Rogers a Commission, March 24, 1756, a commission to be paid by the Crown.
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GW failed to obtain such commissions for himself or for his men on his Boston trip to see Gov Shirley and in the end did not entirely resolve the issue of a Captain Dagworthy who would not submit to provincial Col GW’s commands.
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Suggestions, corrections, additions of information about this time of the Spring of 1756 are welcomed to post on https://www.facebook.com/groups/788566064548558/
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