Fort Laurens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Laurens Site
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Southwest bastion outline in ground
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lawrence Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio |
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| Nearest city | Bolivar, Ohio |
| Built | 1778 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000518 |
| Added to NRHP | November 10, 1970 |
Fort Laurens was an important fort built during the American Revolutionary War (when America fought for its independence from Britain). It was located in what is now Northeast Ohio, near the town of Bolivar, Ohio. Today, you can find its site along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
Building Fort Laurens
The fort was built in December 1778 by General Lachlan McIntosh. It was located on the west bank of the Tuscarawas River, in what is now Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The fort was named after Henry Laurens, who was a president of the Continental Congress. The Continental Congress was the group of leaders who helped guide America during the Revolutionary War.
Fort Laurens was meant to be a starting point for an attack on the British forces in Detroit. However, the winter conditions at the fort were very harsh. Because of this, General McIntosh moved most of his soldiers back to Fort Pitt.
Only about 150 soldiers stayed behind at Fort Laurens. These soldiers were from the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment and the 13th Virginia Regiment. They were led by Colonel John Gibson. Fort Laurens was the only fort built in the Ohio Country during the entire American Revolutionary War. The fort was finally abandoned on August 2, 1779.
The Siege of Fort Laurens
The British learned about the difficult conditions at Fort Laurens. On February 22, 1779, Captain Henry Bird of the 8th Regiment of Foot led an attack. He had a few British soldiers and hundreds of Native American warriors with him. These warriors were from the Wyandot, Mingo, Munsee, and Delaware tribes.
They surrounded the fort, starting a "siege." A siege is when an army surrounds a place to cut off its supplies and force it to surrender. The siege lasted until mid-March. The soldiers inside the fort faced terrible hunger. It's said they were so hungry they had to boil and eat their moccasins (soft leather shoes).
The British forces also became weaker during the long siege. They finally ended the siege on March 20, 1779. American relief forces from Fort Pitt arrived three days later. They left 106 new soldiers at the fort, led by Major Frederick Vernon. Colonel Daniel Brodhead had taken over from McIntosh as commander at Fort Pitt. He believed Fort Laurens was not strong enough for a major attack on Fort Detroit.
Fort Laurens Museum and Park
The Ohio History Connection now owns the site of Fort Laurens. The Zoar Community Association helps run a small museum there. The museum has exhibits about the frontier soldiers who lived at the fort. You can also watch a video about the fort's history and see old tools and items found during digs.
The museum is located in a large park. This park is sometimes used for military reenactments, where people dress up and act out historical battles. Fort Laurens is also the site of the Tomb of the Unknown Patriot of the American Revolution. This tomb holds the remains of a soldier who died fighting for America. The tomb was dedicated with full military honors in 1976.
Inside the museum wall, there is also a crypt. This crypt holds the remains of other soldiers who died defending the fort. The site is closed during the winter months. In 1970, the Fort Laurens site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States.
