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From:
Subject: [PABLAIR-L] Fort Fetter
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 08:26:12 EDT


Good morning,
Steve will be adding a new section to the Blair page, 'Blair County Forts',
Fort Fetter will be the first fort listed and I thought you all may like to
preview the entry:
Fort Fetter: This fort, erected within what are now the boundary lines of
Blair county, Pennsylvania, came into the list of frontier defences in the
year 1777.  It was built not far from where the town of Hollidaysburg now
stands, being somewhat to the southwest of that borough, and its location
seems to have been on the banks or near to the banks of a creek flowing
northward, which creek discharges its waters into what is called the
Frankstown branch of the Juniata river. It is near McCahan's mill and was
used for local purposes. Its location was not far distant from where appear
on the Historical Map of Pennsylvania, the Indian path starting at the town
of Bedford, running north, past Hollidaysburg, Fort Lowry, crossing the
Juniata at or near Anderson's Fort and thence on northward into Centre county
to where Milesburg now stands.
This fort was a blockhouse used for local purposes. It appears nowhere from
any of the Provincial records that it was authorized to have been built;
nevertheless, it served its purpose and like all the others of like
importance, it is entitled to its appropriate place, along with the rest of
the unauthorized forts. Mr. Jones relates, in his Juniata Valley, that in the
fall of 1777 Fetter's Fort was occupied with some twenty-five men capable of
bearing arms, belonging to the Frankstown district. Among those were both the
Coleman's, their own and a number of other settler's families. The Indians
who had murdered the Dunkards, it appears, met about a mile east of
Kittanning Point, where they encamped, in order to await the arrival of
scattered forces. Thomas and Michael Coleman and Michael Wallack had left
Fetter's Fort in the morning for the purpose of hunting deer. During the day
snow fell to the depth of some three or four inches and in coming down the
Gap, Coleman and his party crossed the Indian trail and discovered fresh
tracks. It was soon determined to follow them, ascertain their force and then
repair to the fort and give the alarm. They had followed the trail scarcely
half a mile before they saw the blaze of the fire and the dusky outlines of
the savages seated around the it. Their number, of course, could not be made
out, but they conjectured that there must be in the neighborhood of thirty,
but in order to get a crack at them,
Thomas Coleman made his companions promise not to reveal their actual
strength to the men in the fort. The available force, amounting to sixteen
men, loaded their rifles and started in pursuit of the savages. By the time
they reached the encampment it had grown quite cold and the night was
considerable advanced, still some ten or twelve Indians were seated around
the fire. They cautiously approached the men and with silence, the command
was given. When within sixty yards a halt was called.
The Indians appeared to be engaged in mixing paint and the others were
talking.
Their rifles were all leaning against a large tree and Thos. Coleman
conceived the bold design of approaching the tree and securing their arms
before attacking them. The achievement would have been a brilliant one, but
the undertaking was deemed so hazardous that not a man would agree to second
him in so reckless and daring an enterprise.
When the word was given it was agreed that they should all fire and that each
man should single out a particular savage to fire at. Aim was taken, the word
was given, some three or four of the savages fell and those who were sitting
around the fire, as well as those who were lying upon the ground instantly
sprang to their feet and ran to the tree where their rifles stood. The boys
did not even have time to reload their guns before they ran away. It appears
that Wallack and Holliday were the only ones left to obey Coleman's orders.
The number of the savages being large, they became frightened and ran to the
fort. From this time on Coleman assumed command at the fort and was one of
the principal men in this locality in resisting the Indians. This encounter
with the Indians created alarm through the sparsely settled country. People
from the neighborhood gathered their families into the fort under the firm
impression that they were to be harassed by savage warfare, not only during
the winter, but as long as the Revolutionary struggle was to continue.
This cloud of war soon passed by and the people betook themselves again to
their houses, before the holidays of 1777, where they remained without
molestation. During these alarms and troubles which followed in the course of
the war, Adam Holliday took a conspicuous part in defending the frontiers. He
aided in erecting Fetter's Fort and afterwards expended his means into
turning Titus' stable into a fort. This war fort was located on a flat nearly
opposite the second lot below Hollidaysburg, and the two served as a place of
refuge for all the settlers of what was then merely called the upper end of
Frankstown district. He also, with his own money, purchased provisions and
through his exertions arms and ammunitions were brought from the eastern
counties. His courage and energy inspired the settlers to make a stand at a
time when they were on the very point of flying to Cumberland county. In
December, 1777, he visited Philadelphia, for the purpose of securing a part
of the funds appropriated to the defence of the frontier. The following
letter to President Wharton was given to him by Col. John Piper, of Bedford
county:
Bedford County, December 19th, 1777.
"Sir: Permit me, Sir, to recommend to you for counsel and directions, the
bearer Mr. Holliday an inhabitant of Frankstown, one of the frontier
settlements of our county, who has at his own risk been extremely active in
assembling the people of that settlement together and in purchasing
provisions to serve the militia who came to their assistance. As there was no
person appointed, either to purchase provisions or to serve them out,
necessity obliged the bearer, with the assistance of some neighbors, to
purchase a considerable quantity of provisions for that purpose, by which the
inhabitants have been enabled to make a stand. His request is that he may be
supplied with cash, not only to discharge the debts already contracted, but
likewise to enable him to lay up a store for future demand. I beg leave, Sir,
to refer to the bearer, for further information, in hopes you will provide
for their further support. Their situation requires immediate assistance."
The mission of Mr. Holliday was successful. He returned with sufficient means
to recruit the fort with provisions and ammunition, and continued to be an
active, energetic frontiersman during all the Indian troubles.
Source: Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania

Annie Whiteman
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pablair/
SC PAGenExchange

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