Picketed Point Stockade
Encyclopedia
Picketed Point Stockade was the last of three fortificatons built at Marietta, Ohio
. This defensive stockade was built by pioneers during the Northwest Indian War
in 1791 on the east side of the mouth of the Muskingum River
at its confluence with the Ohio River
, and directly across the Muskingum from Fort Harmar
. Colonel William Stacy
superintended the construction of the stockade under direction of Colonel Ebenezer Sproat
. Palisades or pickets were set from the Muskingum River eastward, meeting in the northeast corner of the fortification with another line of pickets built from the Ohio River northward, enclosing about four acres.
A fourth block house was built during the war
by a by a detachment of United States troops. It was occupied by the United States troops, who kept a sentry, and assisted in guarding the garrison until sent down the Ohio to join General Anthony Wayne
.
Picketed Point was located on the point which is here 39°24′38"N 81°27′15"W, although river banks can shift significantly.
There were two other nearby forts. Fort Harmar
was constructed several years earlier in 1785, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum. The other Marietta fortification was Campus Martius
, upriver on the east side of the Muskingum.
Two additional forts, somewhat distant from Marietta, were also built by settlers from the Ohio Company of Associates. A group of associates moved about 15 miles down the Ohio River from Marietta, opposite the mouth of the Little Kanawha River
; the settlers constructed the fortification of Farmer's Castle
for protection during the Indian war at the sight of modern day Belpre, Ohio
. Another group of associates moved about 20 miles up the Muskingum River from Marietta, near the mouth of Wolf Creek; they built Fort Frye
for protection during the war at the sight of modern day Beverly, Ohio
.
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
. This defensive stockade was built by pioneers during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
in 1791 on the east side of the mouth of the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
at its confluence with the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, and directly across the Muskingum from Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar was an early United States frontier military fort, built in pentagonal shape during 1785 at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum River. It was built under the orders of Josiah Harmar and took his name...
. Colonel William Stacy
William Stacy
William Stacy was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country...
superintended the construction of the stockade under direction of Colonel Ebenezer Sproat
Ebenezer Sproat
Ebenezer Sproat , surname also spelled Sprout, was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, a pioneer to the Ohio Country, and one of the founders of Marietta, Ohio, the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory...
. Palisades or pickets were set from the Muskingum River eastward, meeting in the northeast corner of the fortification with another line of pickets built from the Ohio River northward, enclosing about four acres.
Three block houses were immediately built: one on the Muskingum bank, at the western termination of the pickets; one in the northeast corner of the inclosure; and one on the Ohio bank. Near to the latter, and by that on the Muskingum, were strong gates, of a size to admit teams, the approaches to which were commanded by the block houses. These block houses were surmounted by sentry boxes, or turrets, the sides of which were secured with thick planks for the defense of the men when on guard.
A fourth block house was built during the war
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
by a by a detachment of United States troops. It was occupied by the United States troops, who kept a sentry, and assisted in guarding the garrison until sent down the Ohio to join General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
.
Picketed Point was located on the point which is here 39°24′38"N 81°27′15"W, although river banks can shift significantly.
There were two other nearby forts. Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar was an early United States frontier military fort, built in pentagonal shape during 1785 at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum River. It was built under the orders of Josiah Harmar and took his name...
was constructed several years earlier in 1785, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum. The other Marietta fortification was Campus Martius
Campus Martius (Ohio)
Campus Martius was a defensive fortification at the Marietta, Ohio settlement, and was home to Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper, Arthur St. Clair, and other pioneers from the Ohio Company of Associates during the Northwest Indian War. Major Anselm Tupper was commander of the Campus Martius during the...
, upriver on the east side of the Muskingum.
Two additional forts, somewhat distant from Marietta, were also built by settlers from the Ohio Company of Associates. A group of associates moved about 15 miles down the Ohio River from Marietta, opposite the mouth of the Little Kanawha River
Little Kanawha River
The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 169 mi long, in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Ohio, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 2,320 mi² on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
; the settlers constructed the fortification of Farmer's Castle
Farmer's Castle
Farmer's Castle was a defensive fortification built by a group of pioneers from the Ohio Company of Associates who moved about 15 miles down the Ohio River from the first settlement of Marietta, Ohio to a location opposite the mouth of the Little Kanawha River...
for protection during the Indian war at the sight of modern day Belpre, Ohio
Belpre, Ohio
Belpre is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,441 at the 2010 census....
. Another group of associates moved about 20 miles up the Muskingum River from Marietta, near the mouth of Wolf Creek; they built Fort Frye
Fort Frye
Fort Frye was a triangular-shaped defensive fortification built by a group of pioneers from the Ohio Company of Associates who moved about twenty miles up the Muskingum River from the settlement of Marietta, Ohio to a location near the mouth of Wolf Creek...
for protection during the war at the sight of modern day Beverly, Ohio
Beverly, Ohio
Beverly is a village in Washington County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,282 at the 2000 census...
.