CHAPTER XXII. Fort Pitt, 1758-1763. General Forbes and his army left Pittsburgh on December 3, 1758, and arrived in Philadelphia on January 17, 1759. The winter having set in, there was no possibility of erecting a permanent fort at the Forks, not alone by reason of weather conditions but for lack of workmen and materials. It was the firm intention of the British Government to hold the place at all hazards, for as it had been a vantage point for the French, it was to be likewise for the new power in control. Accordingly Forbes' men had immediately set to work to build a temporary fortification, the site slightly southeast of the ruins of Fort Duquesne. The cabins that had stood around the French fort were mostly destroyed, and as there had been much ground cleared about it, there was no delay in preparing a site for the new work. This was a square stockade with a bastion at each angle, and was erected on the banks of the Monongahela between what is now Liberty and West streets. The Map of Pittsburgh in 1795 shows that the eastern bastion crossed West street, and the western bastion extended to within 125 feet of the southerly line of Liberty street. From the plan obtained by William G. Johnston, the distance from one stockade to the opposite was 290 feet.1 Craig in his history states that it is not known precisely when this temporary work was completed; most probably about January 1, 1759, for Col. Hugh Mercer, who was left in command, wrote on January 8th: "This garrison now consists of 280 men and is capable of some defence, though huddled up in a very hasty manner, the weather being extremely severe."2 Mercer's situation was indeed perilous. We may believe the severity of the weather which entailed so great discomfort and at times suffering upon the little garrison, operated to their advantage as it prevented any expedition of the French against them. The enemy, although driven from the Forks, were able to maintain a force at Venango and had some troops at Kushkushking (or Kuskuskies), a Delaware town on the Mahoning river at its junction with the Big Beaver, the site of the Indian town now that of Mahoningtown, Lawrence county. In the letter of January 8th, Mercer said that the intelligence he had from every quarter made it evident that the French had not lost hopes of securing a post again on the site of Duquesne. They were extremely busy in collecting their over-thelake Indians and assembling them near Kuskuskies, where they were forming a magazine of arms and provisions. They had yet many friends among the Delawares, Mercer was informed, and also by the deputies of the Six Nations who come from Venango; the French then had but a 1"Life and Reminiscences," W. G. Johnston. See plan opposite his p. 22. 2"History of Pittsburgh;" Craig (Edition 1917), p. 66. "Olden Time;" Vol. I, p. 194. "Colonial Records;" Vol. VIII, p. 292. Pitts.-29 small force there. However, the winter passed without an attack on Mercer, and the spring also, but early in July Mercer had positive assurance that a formidable force of French and Indians were about to descend the Allegheny from Venango and with sufficient artillery to render his holding Fort Pitt impossible. Only the fortune of war saved Mercer. Had not circumstances intervened to divert this French force, Mercer was doomed. The urgent necessity of the French at Niagara compelled them to abandon their cherished project of again securing the Forks of the Ohio. Niagara had been invested by the English under Prideaux on July 6th. A letter from William Pitt to Governor Denny, of Pennsylvania, shows that Fort Pitt was built by special orders from the King. The letter is dated Whitehall, January 23, 1759. An extract reads: Sir: I am now to acquaint you that the King has been pleased, immediately upon receiving the account of the Success of his Arms on the River Ohio, to direct the Commander-in-chief of his Majesty's Forces in North America, and Brigadier-General Forbes to lose no time in Concerting the properest and speediest means for completely restoring, if possible, the ruined Fort Duquesne to a defensible and respectable State, or for erecting another in the Room of it, of Sufficient Strength and every Way adequate to the great importance of the several objects of maintaining His Majesty's Subjects on the undisputed Possession of the Ohio; of Effectually cutting off all Trade and Communication this Way, between Canada and the Western and Southern Indians; of protecting the British Colonies from the Incursions to which they have been exposed since the French built the above Fort, and thereby made themselves Masters of the Navigation of the Ohio; and of fixing again the Several Indian Nations in their Alliance with and dependance upon His Majesty's Government.3 An express, the records state, brought two letters received by the Halifax packet. The other was to Amherst, who immediately wrote to Denny enclosing Pitt's letter. These were read at the Provincial Council in Philadelphia, April 2, 1759. Urgency was strongly set forth in each letter. Amherst's, dated New York, March 28, 1759, complete, is as follows: Sir: With my Dispatches from Mr. Secretary Pitt, this Moment received by the Halifax Packet, came the enclosed for you, by which you will see that the King has been pleased to direct me and Brigadier General Forbes to lose no Time in concerting the properest and speediest means for compleatly restoring, if Possible, the ruined Fort Duquesne to a defensible and respectible state, or for erecting another in the room of it, of sufficient strength and every way adequate to the great importance of the several objects of maintaining His Majesty's Subjects in the undisputed possession of the Ohio; of effectually cutting off all Trade and Communication this way between Canada and the Western and Southern Indians; of protecting the British Colonies from the Incursions to which they have been Exposed since the French built the above fort, and thereby made themselves Masters of the Navigation of the Ohio; and of fixing again the Several Indian Nations in their alliance with and dependence upon his Majesty's Government, for all which wise and good purposes, it is his Majesty's Pleasure that you should use your utmost endeavours with your Council and Assembly to induce them to exert every means in their power for collecting and forwarding the Materials of all sorts, and the workmen which shall be wanted, and which the Commander-in-Chief in North America or Brigadier-general Forbes shall require for this service; and that your 8"Colonial Records;" Vol. VIII, p. 315. |