Fort Footprint?

The grassed area surrounding the monument has long been accepted as the "footprint" of Fort Amanda, (Figure 1below). In my book "Fort Amanda - a Historical Redress," I presented my theory that if you could pick up the entire grassed area around the monument and move it 132 feet further to the northwest that would have been the location (Figure 2). 

The rationale I used for making that claim is very involved and includes, i.e., logistics, location of the well, the ramp and of course mathematics so for the sake of time and to not distract from the main purpose of this posting, I've chosen not to go into all those details in this blog but will save for a future date.   

Does this new theory change anything? 

Not really.  Only the location of the blockhouses.

Fig. 1

Fig.2

Layout of Fort Amanda

The site chosen for Fort Amanda was a natural defensive position. It was protected by a 20-foot deep ravine to the northwest, a 30-foot drop off to the southeast and a 30-foot drop off to the Auglaize River, and the area facing the southwest, once cleared of trees provide a field of vision for sentries watching for anyone approaching the fort from that direction.

Fort Amanda was built in 2 phases; the first by Kentuckians under the command of Lt. Col. Robert Pogue who named the fort for his 11 year old daughter Amanda. Construction began on Phase 1in October 1812. All indications are the fort measured 198 ft. by 198 ft. It was modeled after Pogues boyhood home in Fort Harrod (Harrodsburg, Ky). During Phase II, the fort was extended another 132 feet making the finished dimensions of Fort Amanda 198 ft. x 330 ft.

The Work Begins

Sunday Feb. 28, 1813 - The weather was so cold the Auglaize and St. Mary's Rivers were frozen shut.  The companies of Ohio militia troops being sent to relieve the Kentuckians at Forts Amanda, Jennings and Defiance, were stopped at St. Marys awaiting further orders. Meanwhile the captain of the company assigned to Fort Amanda (Daniel Hobrook) sent Ensign William Schillinger and 30 men to march to Fort Amanda and take over command. They left St. Marys at 10 o'clock Sunday morning and arrived at Amanda at 4 o'clock that afternoon.

*Note that in Figure 3, Pogue's fort is located at the south end of the grassed area. The problem with that configuration is that the water supply for the fort would have been outside the walls. A no-no. Again, based on journal entries, measurements, logistics, etc, it's my belief that Pogue's fort was located as shown in Figure 4. It places the well inside the fort.  It also places a blockhouse at the lower left corner of Figure 4 and in a position where the gate was eventually relocated.

Figure 3

Figure 4

The evening Schillinger and his men arrived the temperature plummeted and while the Kentuckians slept soundly in their cabins inside the fort, Schillinger and his men slept outside in tents being pelted with hail.

NOTE:  Figures 5 and 6 are photoshopped pics showing what I believe sections inside of Fort Amanda looked like. They are based on original journal entries. A row of cabins (Figure 6) were probably located parallel to the river, their back walls serving as stockade walls. The blockhouse shown in Figure 5 was located in the area of the concrete post at the northeast end of the grassy area.  The gate was eventually moved and connected to it. 

Figure 5

Figure 6

PARTY TIME

Their tour of duty over, some of the Kentuckians remained at the fort waiting on friends returning from the norther forts and judging from Schillinger's comments, the Kentuckians were quite the partiers. He wrote in his journal on Mar 3rd:

“Last night we had rain. The Kentucky troops were all in high glee and black and dirty as Indians, and danced in the most infamous manner and the most blasphemous swearing possible for men to utter was made use of by those self conceited infidels.”

There was no love loss between the Kentuckians and Ohio troops so every effort was made to keep the two groups as separated as possible.  The field on the north side of Fort Amanda rd. just west of the bridge crossing the Auglaize was an area called the "Commons" and that's where troops passing through set up their camps. 

The following day, the last of the Kentuckians left the fort and started home.  Work began almost immediately on enlarging the size of the fort. The walls of Pogue's square shaped fort (198 x 198) were extended 132 feet to the northwest creating the rectangular shape (198 x 330). Again, more details on how I arrived at those figures in a later blog.

Originally there were 4 blockhouses in Fort Amanda, a 5th was added later in March. While blockhouses were generally used as lookout posts, the Kentuckians used the blockhouses them for storage. We know from Schillinger's journal that the windows hadn't yet been cut into the blockhouse probably to protect the materials store inside.

The first order of business was to clean the materials out of the blockhouses move them into some of the cabins and sheds inside the fort. 

March 6, 1813- Saturday 

Saturday the 6^th Day of March 

This day being Officer of Police, detach,d a fatigue party & proceeded, to gather and burn the brush, & other filth about the fort & to take some flour which was in the upper part of one of one of the block houses Down & put it in some cabbins, This evening, our cook being sick, I had to cook supper.

The flour was stored in the west blockhouse (Figure 7)

Fig. 7

West Blockhouse

March 9, 1813 - Tuesday

 Tuesday the 9 of March, 1813

This Morning clear & pleasant.  I being Officer of Police detach,d the fatigue Party and Proceed to Clear the upper part of the East Block house of some Meat that had been salted there in bulk & Chink & cut the port holes & prepare it for actual use,  the carpenters at work fixing the gates fastenings

Meat was stored in the east blockhouse (Figure 8). According to tradition, the east blockhouse was the largest of all the blockhouse. It sat in the southeast corner of the enclosure.

Fig. 8 

East Blockhouse

March 11, 1813 - Thursday

Thursday the 11

This Morning Rainy.  Attended to the removing of the oats & corn from the upper part of one of our block houses, & prepare it for use. 

The 5th Blockhouse

The "Fort Amanda PX"

March 23, 1813 - Tuesday

Tuesday the 23 

This morning clear and pleasant  turnd out the fatigue party and throw, down  A cabbin on the old wing & cut the logs in to 13 feet lenghts for to make A block house in the S.W. line of our Stockading,  This morning our Colonel & company left the fort & for to go to Wapukanati,  at 6 P.M. clouded up & began to rain

Contractors were licensed by the government to sell goods to soldiers the various forts. They sold everything from writing paper and quills to shirts to chewing tobacco. The agent that served the troops along the Auglaize river was a man Schillinger referred to as "Mr. Picket." On May 15, Schillinger said they cut a door in the "lower part of the Picket block house," implying that the new blockhouse may have been where Picket stored his supplies. In other words, the 5th blockhouse may have served as the fort's PX or store.

 May 15, 1813 - Saturday

Saturday the 15^th

Clear & Cool, with frost ---- our men employ,d to Day Cleaning out our North Block House & cutting a Door into the Lower part of the Picket block house & chinking the same,  Our Paymaster & Surgeon & Colonel Orr and Major Jenkison with some other Gentlemen came from St. Marys  filled up our Muster Pay & Receipt Rolls ready for Receiving our Pay in the morning.

 

It's interesting to note that the soldiers had been at Fort Amanda for over 2 months and they were just now cleaning out the north blockhouse. Schillinger doesn't tell us what was stored there. In addition, they were just now cutting the doorway in the 5th blockhouse that was built the end of March.

Fort Amanda 

As you're walking the path from the shelter house to the monument as you begin to enter the clearing and the grassed area, look to your immediate left. In 1813 that was the location of the 2 story blockhouse Schillinger referred to as the "north blockhouse." Immediately to your right there is a concrete post. That was the location of the west blockhouse and the fort's gate.

Conclusion

My hope is what I've presented here helps visitors to the park better visualize what the fort may have looked like over 200 years ago.  Whether the current grassed area is the forts footprint or whether my theory is correct, doesn't really change anything about the forts history. Hopefully what it does is generate interest and remind people that the total story of Fort Amanda is far from being told.

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If you would like learn more about Fort Amanda and the patriots who served there, these books can be purchased locally at the sites listed below, at Amazon or by contacting me at djohnson43@att.net

     

                 $20                                                              $15

Available at;

Readmore's Hallmark stores in Lima, Ohio (E. Elm st., Eastgate and Flanders ave.

Casa Chic (109 W. Auglaize st) in Wapakoneta, Ohio

The Allen County Museum (620 W. Market st) in Lima, Ohio 

Amazon.com

If you'd like a personalized copy email me at djohnson43@att.net and I'll send you the details.

If you're looking for a speaker related to this subject for your group, simply email me at djohnson43@att.net or 740-879-4502

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