Fort
Barrancas, FL Ft.
Concho, TX Ft. Clatsop, OR Fort
Greenville, OH
Ft. Hawkins, GA Fort
Jefferson, FL Fort
Jefferson, OH
Ft. Langley, BC
Ft. Martin Scott, TX
Fort Morgan, AL
Fort Moultrie, SC
Ft. Pitt, PA
Ft. Recovery, OH
Fort Sumter, SC
Ft. Wayne, IN
Historic Forts
Ft. Recovery, OH -
May 4, 2008, updated September 4, 2010
Ft. Recovery, OH is the location of two very
significant battles early in the history of the United States that,
considering the US Continental Army's losses in the first battle, have been
totally ignored by historians. The first battle in November of 1791
caused the loss of essentially what at that time was the US Continental
Army. After the American Revolution, as with all wars, it was
believed by politicians and the populace that there is no need for a
military, as there will never be another war and the Continental Army was
reduced to almost nothing. In order to protect the settlers that
were moving into what was in 1791 called the Northwest Territory, and is
today Ohio and Indiana, President Washington ordered General St. Clair to
raise an army to accomplish the task of eliminating the Native American
threat. The resulting battle at what is now Ft. Recovery, OH stands
as the worst defeat ever suffered by the US Army, where in this case, and
depending on the source, anywhere between 650 to 950 soldiers and another
several hundred camp followers were killed in this singe action. The
is several times the number that was lost by General Custer and the 7th
Cavalry eighty years later.
Below are photos of the
partially reconstructed fort that was built in 1793 when a reorganized US
Continental Army returned to the and built a fort that in June of 1794
held out against a massed Indian attack and was instrumental in the
ultimate defeat of the Native American in the area in August of that year
at Fallen Timbers.
This is an excellent location to drive
to from eastern and central Indiana, north west and central Ohio, and
southern Michigan when one is looking for that "Sunday" drive but a
destination is needed to add value to the trip. Ft. Recovery, Ohio
is located right on the Ohio Indiana border on Ohio State Routes 49 and
119 and east of Portland, IN by taking Indiana SR 26. Please check the Ft.
Recovery Museum Website at on the Links page
for days and times it is open, as it is closed during the winter months
and has limited hours during the rest of the year.
September 4, 2010 Photos
- These are photos of inside the Museum after it was opened in July 2010
after a winter and spring renovation.
This is area was totally redone with all brand
new display boards.
The small cannon with the three artillerymen
remained in the north east corner of the museum.
A soldier at the wall of the fort.
Looking down at the soldier and the museum
from the second floor.
Looking down at the Museum from the second
floor.
May 4, 2008 Photos
This is the upper floor of one of the two
blockhouse, which were built with and overhang on the second level for
defensive purposes. If attackers were able to make it to the outer
wall of the blockhouse the defenders would remove the outer floor boards
and then shoot straight down at the attackers. I had seen this
design on other blockhouses previously but was unaware of why until
visiting the museum at Ft. Recovery.
American History classes and text skip usually
skip directly from the American Revolution to the Civil war and do not
spend time on the important development of The Northwest Territory and the
events during that time period that helped shape and form the United
States. A trip to Ft. Recovery, OH can help fill this historical
void.
Fort
Barrancas, FL Ft.
Concho, TX Ft. Clatsop, OR Fort
Greenville, OH
Ft. Hawkins, GA Fort
Jefferson, FL Fort
Jefferson, OH
Ft. Langley, BC
Ft. Martin Scott, TX
Fort Morgan, AL
Fort Moultrie, SC
Ft. Pitt, PA
Ft. Recovery, OH
Fort Sumter, SC
Ft. Wayne, IN
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