Fort at Number 4 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort at Number 4 |
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The Fort at No. 4 Open-Air Museum
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| Location | Charlestown, New Hampshire |
| Built | 1744 (original) 1960 (recreation) |
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N.H. State Register of Historic Places
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| Designated | July 2020 |
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The Fort at Number 4 was an important fort in the 1700s. It was a stockade (a fence made of strong posts) that protected a British settlement called Plantation Number 4. This was the northernmost British town along the Connecticut River in New Hampshire.
Today, the fort is in Charlestown, New Hampshire. A new version of the fort was built in 1960. It is now an open-air museum where you can learn about its history. The fort was added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Contents
History of the Fort at Number 4
Plantation Number 4 was one of several towns started in 1735–36. It was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This town was more than 30 miles from the next closest British settlement.
Settlers began arriving in 1740. By 1743, ten families lived at Number 4.
The fort itself was built in 1744. The townspeople decided to move some of their homes together. They wanted to create a safe, fortified area. The "fort" was a rectangle of six houses. These houses were connected by small additions called lean-tos.
The south end of the fort had a two-story building. It had a large meeting room on the second floor. A guard tower was also attached. The only entrance to the fort was under this meeting room. It had a small stable and a guard house nearby. A strong wooden fence, called a stockade, surrounded three sides of the fort. It also protected a well inside.
King George's War and the Fort
In 1744, during King George's War, there were many attacks. French forces and their Native allies burned many farms and buildings. Some settlers were killed in small fights. Others were captured and taken to Canada.
Most families left the fort in late 1746. A small group of men stayed until February 1747. The fort was later reoccupied by Captain Phineas Stevens and 30 militia men. They arrived in late March 1747.
On April 7, 1747, the fort was attacked. French militia and Abenaki warriors led by Ensign Joseph Boucher de Niverville surrounded it.
The attack lasted three days. The French and Natives then decided to return to Canada. They did not want to risk a direct attack on the fort. This stopped further raids on settlements to the south and east.
Reports at the time said the attacking force was very large. Later, French records showed it was closer to 50 people. Commodore Charles Knowles was very impressed by Captain Stevens' defense. He gave Stevens a fancy sword. The town was later named Charlestown to honor Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet.
The French and Indian War Era
Just before the French and Indian War in 1754, a Native raid happened. Susanna Willard Johnson and her family were captured. She later wrote a popular book about her experience.
During the French and Indian Wars, many soldiers stayed at Fort at Number 4. They protected the frontier (the edge of settled land). Soldiers included Colonel Nathan Whiting's Regiment and Colonel John Goffe's Regiment.
In 1759, Robert Rogers and his Rangers needed help. They were hungry after a raid and came to the fort. General Jeffery Amherst also ordered a road built. It would connect the fort to Fort Crown Point in New York.
Captain John Stark and his Rangers, with Colonel Goffe's Regiment, built this road. It was called the Crown Point Military Road. It was about 77.5 miles long. Many small forts, called blockhouses, were built along the way. They protected supplies and travelers. After the French were defeated in 1761, the fort was not needed as much.
American Revolutionary War Connection
In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, John Stark returned. He was a general by then. He gathered about 1,500 New Hampshire militia members at the fort. They were preparing for the Battle of Bennington. After the war, the fort slowly fell apart.
The Fort as a Museum Today
The Fort at Number 4 was rebuilt in 1960. It is now an open-air museum in Charlestown, New Hampshire. It shows what the fort looked like during King George's War.
Historians and enthusiasts dress up as settlers and soldiers. They show what life was like back then. Most summers, the fort hosts events. These include reenactments of the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.
See also
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 2: Fort at No. 4
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 117: General John Stark's expedition to Bennington - August 1777
