Fort Hyndshaw

{{Short description|18th century fort in colonial Pennsylvania}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox military installation | name = Fort Hyndshaw | location = Route 209 in [[Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Middle Smithfield Township]] | nearest_town = [[East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania]] | country = US | image = | alt = | caption = | type = Fort | coordinates = {{coord|41|05|10.3|N|75|00|27.2|W|type:landmark_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = USA Pennsylvania | pushpin_map_caption = Location of the fort in northeast Pennsylvania | pushpin_relief = yes | pushpin_label = Fort Hyndshaw | pushpin_label_position = left | ownership = [[Pennsylvania|State of Pennsylvania]] | open_to_public = Yes | built = {{Start date|1756}} | used = {{End date|1758}} | builder = | materials = | height = {{convert|70|ft}} {{small|(at time of occupation)}} | fate = Abandoned | condition = Destroyed by nature | battles = | events = [[French and Indian War]] | past_commanders = Captain James Van Etten | website = | footnotes =  | embedded = {{Infobox historic site | embed = yes | designation1 = Pennsylvania | designation1_offname = | designation1_date = {{start date|1949|1|7}} | designation1_number = }} }} '''Fort Hyndshaw''' (sometimes referred to in contemporary records as '''Hyndshaw's Fort''', or '''the Fort at Hyndshaw's''') was a fort in [[Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania]], built in 1756. It was the northernmost of a line of Pennsylvania defenses erected during the [[French and Indian War]].<ref name = "Montgomery">[http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/1picts/frontierforts/ff13.html Thomas Lynch Montgomery, ed. ''Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania,'' vol 1, Harrisburg, PA: W.S. Ray, state printer, 1916]</ref>{{rp|300}} The fort was abandoned by its militia garrison in July 1757, but was still used by local settlers as a refuge from Native American attacks, until June 1758 when it was captured by Native American warriors and its inhabitants were taken prisoner.<ref name = "Hunter">[http://libsysdigi.library.illinois.edu/OCA/Books2012-06/fortsonpennsylva00hunt/fortsonpennsylva00hunt.pdf Hunter, William Albert. ''Forts on the Pennsylvania Frontier: 1753–1758,'' (Classic Reprint). Fb&c Limited, 2018.]</ref>{{rp|270}}

==The need for fortifications== At the beginning of the French and Indian War, Braddock's defeat at the [[Battle of the Monongahela]] left Pennsylvania without a professional military force.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-rxZAAAAYAAJ Samuel J. Newland, ''The Pennsylvania Militia: Defending the Commonwealth and the Nation, 1669–1870'', Annville, PA, 2002]</ref> [[Lenape]] chiefs [[Shingas]] and [[Captain Jacobs]] launched dozens of [[Shawnee]] and [[Lenape people|Delaware]] raids against British colonial settlements,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=EFd2AAAAMAAJ Matthew C. Ward, ''Breaking the Backcountry: The Seven Years' War in Virginia and Pennsylvania, 1754–1765'', Pittsburgh, 2003]</ref> killing and capturing hundreds of colonists and destroying settlements across western and central Pennsylvania.<ref name = "Hunter2">[https://journals.psu.edu/phj/article/view/22479 William Albert Hunter, "Victory at Kittanning", ''Pennsylvania History'', vol. 23, no. 3, July 1956; pp 376-407]</ref> In late 1755, [[John Armstrong Sr.|Colonel John Armstrong]] wrote to Governor [[Robert Hunter Morris]]: "I am of the opinion that no other means of defense than a chain of [[blockhouses]] along or near the south side of the [[Kittatinny Mountains]] from the [[Susquehanna River|Susquehanna]] to the temporary line, can secure the lives and property of the inhabitants of this country."<ref name = "Montgomery"/>{{rp|557}}

In December 1755, [[Northampton massacre 1755|a series of attacks]] on people in the area east of what is now [[Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania|Stroudsburg]] had terrified the population, who then demanded that the Pennsylvania government provide military protection. On 10 December, a war party of about 200 Native American warriors attacked the Hoeth family farm and killed Frederick Hoeth, his wife, and seven of their eight children.<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|226}} The next day, warriors set fire to [[Daniel Brodhead]]'s Plantation, and attacked and burned farms belonging to the Culvers, the McMichaels, and the Hartmanns.<ref>[https://www.monroehistorical.org/articles_files/2012_1216_ftnorris.html Amy Leiser,"Monroe County’s frontier forts: Fort Norris," Monroe County Historical Association, December 12, 2012]</ref> The [[Moravian Historical Society|Moravian mission at Dansbury]] was also destroyed.<ref>[https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/66410/pg66410-images.html Margaretta Archambault, ''A Guide Book of Art, Architecture, and Historic Interests in Pennsylvania,'' Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Co., 1924]</ref>{{rp|450}} A number of settlers died when they were trapped inside burning buildings. Over 300 people fled to [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania|Bethlehem]] and [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]].<ref name = "Montgomery"/>{{rp|138}} In an account of the attacks from the Union Iron Works in Jersey, dated 20 December, 78 people are listed killed and about 45 buildings destroyed.<ref name = "Nelson">[https://www.google.com/books/edition/Documents_Relating_to_the_Colonial_Histo/gEUVAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Heiss William Nelson et al., ''Archives of the State of New Jersey: Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, 1751-1755,'' first series, vol. XIX, Patterson NJ: The Press Printing & publishing Co., 1897]</ref>{{rp|569-572}} On 25 December, the Provincial Commissioners reported that "The Country all above this Town, for 50 Miles, is mostly evacuated and ruined, excepting only the Neighbourhood of the Dupuy's, five Families, which stand their Ground."<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|271}}

In response to these attacks, the [[Pennsylvania Legislature]] placed [[Benjamin Franklin]] and [[James Hamilton (Pennsylvania politician)|James Hamilton]] in charge to erect [[Pennsylvania forts in the French and Indian War|a chain of forts]] along the [[Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Blue Mountain]] in the [[Minisink]] region.<ref>[https://www.monroehistorical.org/articles_files/2012_09_fthamilton.html Amy Leiser, "Benjamin Franklin and his tie to Monroe County’s frontier forts," Monroe County Historical Association, September 9, 2012]</ref> Franklin, via a letter dated January 12, 1756 to Captain James Van Etten, ordered him to "proceed immediately to raise a Company of Foot, consisting of 30 able Men, including two Serjeants, with which you are to protect the Inhabitants of [[Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Upper Smithfield]] assisting them while they thresh out and secure their Corn, and scouting from time to time as you judge necessary on the Outside of the Settlements."<ref>[https://www.monroehistorical.org/articles_files/2012_11_fthyndshaw.html Amy Leiser, "Monroe County's frontier forts: Fort Hyndshaw," Monroe County Historical Association, November 11, 2012]</ref><ref name = "Montgomery"/>{{rp|300}} Franklin wrote to Governor Morris that "I have also allow'd 30 Men to secure the Township of Upper Smithfield, and commission'd Van Etten and Hinshaw as Captain and Lieutenant."<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|266}}

== History ==

=== Origin of the name ===

[[File:The Pennsylvania-German Society - (Publications) (1891) (14784791682).jpg|thumb|right|Map showing the location of Fort Hyndshaw in Monroe County.<ref name = "Montgomery"/>{{rp|301}}]]The fort was named after Lieutenant James Hyndshaw (1720-1770), who was born in [[Ulster County, New York]] and was married to Maria Dupui/DePuy, a niece of Nicholas DePuy, one of the earliest European settlers from [[Esopus, New York]], in Northampton County (present-day [[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]]), whose home became [[Fort Depuy]] during the [[French and Indian War]], around the same time as Fort Hyndshaw was built.<ref>[https://www.poconorecord.com/story/lifestyle/2012/10/14/depuy-peaceful-homestead-that-became/49351402007/ Amy Leiser, "DePuy: The peaceful homestead that became a fort," ''Pocono Record'', October 14, 2012]</ref> Hyndshaw was second in command to Van Etten.

=== Construction ===

Construction was initiated in January, 1756 and included a 70-foot square [[stockade]] built around Hyndshaw's home. The first garrison numbered only eight men, so it is likely that local settlers assisted in building the fort. On 23 January, Captain Van Etten's home was attacked and his "Barn, Barracks, and all his Wheat are likewise burnt, and three of his best Horses, with Gears, carried off by the Enemy." Van Etten and his men pursued the attackers, killing two of them and wounding several more. One of the dead was erroneously reported to have been the [[Lenape]] chief [[Captain Jacobs]].<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|266}}

Construction was evidently completed by early February, when Franklin reported that Captain Van Etten, Lieutenant Hyndshaw, and thirty men occupied the fort.<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|267}}

[[Commissary General]] James Young visited the fort on 24 June 1756, writing "This Fort is a Square ab't 70 f't Each way, very Slightly Staccaded. I gave some direction to alter the [[Bastions]] which at present are of very little use, it is clear all round for 300 yards, and stand on the Banks of a Large Creek, and ab't a quarter mile from the [[Delaware River|River Delaware]], and I think in a very important Place for the Defence of this Frontier."<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|268}}<ref name = "Montgomery"/>{{rp|301}}

=== Abandonment, 1757 ===

In March 1757, Captain Van Etten was transferred to take command of [[Fort Hamilton (Pennsylvania)|Fort Hamilton]], and Lieutenant Hyndshaw was sent with 25 men to [[Reading, Pennsylvania|Reading]]. As the garrison was now reduced to about half a dozen men, Van Etten insisted that local settlers share sentry duty at night, as there had been a few attacks in the area.<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|269}}

On 14 June, Captain Van Etten was ordered by [[List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania|Deputy Governor William Denny]] to evacuate Fort Hyndshaw and the garrison was sent to Fort Hamilton on 19 June. In July, Lieutenant Hyndshaw returned to the fort with 10 men, probably to remove the fort's remaining stores before it was abandoned.<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|270}}

=== Fort Hyndshaw Massacre ===

Local settlers apparently used the fort as a refuge from attacks during the following year, until it was captured in 1758. On 15 June, Samuel Dupui wrote:

:"...this morning we heared the Disagreeable news of a Fort being taken at the upper end of the minisinks by a party of Indians supposed to be 40 in number, the whitemen it's said belonging to that Garrison were Farmers and were out in their plantations when the Indians fired on them and killed them, whereupon the Indians marched up to the Fort and took all the women and Children Captive and Carryed them away."<ref name = "Hunter"/>{{rp|270}}

Archaeologist Danny Younger has proposed that the Native American warriors who captured the fort killed most or all of their prisoners, who may have been the families of Moravian missionaries.<ref>[https://core.tdar.org/document/434249/toward-a-new-understanding-of-the-french-indian-war-implications-of-the-fort-hyndshaw-massacre Danny L. Younger, "Toward a New Understanding of the French & Indian War: Implications of the Fort Hyndshaw Massacre," paper presented at the 49th Annual Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology, Washington, D.C., January 6-9, 2016]</ref> The nearby Nazareth Moravian Cemetery contains 46 unmarked graves, where the victims of the massacre may be buried.<ref>[https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/local/2012/10/19/old-fort-sites-create-sense/49339684007/ David Pierce, "Old Fort Sites Create Sense of Colonial Past," ''Pocono Record,'' October 19, 2012]</ref>

== Memorialization ==

A historical marker was placed in East Stroudsburg by the [[Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission]] in 1949.<ref>[https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=86990 Don Morfe, "Fort Hyndshaw," Historical Marker Database, August 10, 2015]</ref> In 2003, a replacement historical marker was erected in the same location.<ref>[https://www.poconorecord.com/story/lifestyle/2003/06/22/one-monroe-s-forgotten-forts/51071127007/ Candace McGreevy, "One of Monroe's 'forgotten' forts gets marked," ''Pocono Record'', June 22, 2003]</ref>

== References == {{reflist|2}}

== External links == * [https://books.google.com/books?id=3_APAAAAYAAJ&dq=Fort+Hyndshaw&pg=PA226 Pennsylvania Archives, Volume 3] * [https://books.google.com/books?id=iAmNPAIGcyAC&dq=Fort+Hyndshaw&pg=PA248 The Poconos: An Illustrated Natural History Guide ] By Carl S. Oplinger * Wesley Schwenk, "[http://frenchandindianwarforts.weebly.com/benjamin-franklin.html Benjamin Franklin]," Forts of the French and Indian War, accessed August 20, 2023. * Mary H. Overfield France-Rice [https://books.google.com/books?id=4DVBAAAAMAAJ&q=Fort+Hyndshaw Overfield History] * Robert Mack Wallace [https://books.google.com/books?id=-Q1QAAAAYAAJ&dq=Fort+Hyndshaw&pg=PA9 Ebenezer! Or, Memorial Discourse, Commemorative of the Founding and Progress of the First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg, Pa]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyndshaw, Fort}} [[Category:French and Indian War forts]] [[Category:Forts in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Colonial forts in Pennsylvania|Hyndshaw]] [[Category:Benjamin Franklin]] [[Category:History of Monroe County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Military installations established in 1756]] [[Category:1756 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Pre-statehood history of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:British forts in the United States]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Monroe County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Government buildings completed in 1756]]