Fort Richmond (Maine) facts for kids
Fort Richmond was an important fort built by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was located near what is now Richmond Village, Maine. This fort played a key role in protecting settlers during a time of conflict.
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Building Fort Richmond
Fort Richmond was built around 1720 on the western bank of the Kennebec River. The people from the Massachusetts Bay Colony constructed it to protect their settlements. They needed protection from attacks by Native American tribes. These conflicts eventually led to a war known as Dummer's War.
The fort was named after Ludovic Stewart, who was the Duke of Richmond. It was a strong structure designed for defense. Inside the fort, there was a blockhouse, which is a small, strong fort. There was also a trading post where people could trade goods. The fort also had a chapel, and living quarters for officers and soldiers. All these buildings were surrounded by a tall wooden fence called a palisade.
Early Commanders and Attacks
Several military leaders commanded Fort Richmond over the years. These included Captain Joseph Heath (military officer), Edward Shove, John Oulton, Captain Jabez Bradbury, Captain John Minot, and Captain Joseph Bane (Bean). Later, by 1746, William Lithgow (judge) and Arthur Noble also became commanders. William Lithgow later married Arthur Noble's daughter.
During Father Rale's War, the fort faced a major attack. After a battle at Fort Menaskoux in Arrowsic, Maine, warriors from Norridgewock attacked Fort Richmond in 1722. This attack was a siege that lasted for three hours. Houses outside the fort were burned, and cattle were killed. However, the fort itself held strong and was not captured. Other nearby settlements, like Brunswick, were destroyed during this time.
The defenses of Fort Richmond were made even stronger in 1723. On August 19, 1724, a group of 208 soldiers left Fort Richmond. They were led by Captains Jeremiah Moulton and Johnson Harmon. They traveled up the Kennebec River in 17 whaleboats. Their mission was to attack Norridgewock, which they did in the Battle of Norridgewock. During this battle, they killed Sébastien Rale, a French Jesuit missionary.
Fort Richmond in Later Years
Fort Richmond was rebuilt in 1740 to make it even stronger. William Lithgow (judge) was in command of the fort from 1746 to 1754. In 1748, a woman named Frances Noble was captured near Fort Richmond by Native Americans. She later wrote about her experience in a captivity narrative.
In 1750, another Native American tribe attacked the fort at Swan Island. The fort continued to play a role in protecting the area.
However, Fort Richmond was eventually taken apart in 1755. This happened because new forts were being built further up the river. These new forts included Fort Shirley (also called Fort Frankfort near present-day Dresden, Maine), Western, and Halifax. These new forts took over the role of protecting the settlements.
Also see
Images for kids
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Arthur Noble, Georgetown, Maine
