Monongalia County Militia

Monongalia County Militia of Virginia
A Map of Monongalia County, Virginia in 1776 (purple area). Note the areas of modern-day counties that fall under the jurisdiction of Monongalia County at the time.
Active1774-1782
Country United Colonies 1774-1776
 United States 1776-1782
Allegiance Virginia
TypeMilitia of Frontier Riflemen
Sizeapprox. 1,000 men
Part ofVirginia Militia, Western Department of the Continental Army
EquipmentKentucky Longrifle
EngagementsClark's Illinois Campaign, McIntosh Expedition, Crawford Expedition, Western Theater of the American Revolution
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Thomas Gaddis William Haymond Zackquill Morgan

The Monongalia County Militia was a component of the Virginia militia during Lord Dunmore’s War and the American Revolutionary War. It was based in Monongalia County, Virginia. It mostly fought invading Indian tribes who crossed the Ohio River as well as local Tories loyal to the British Crown, but it is said to have participated in George Rogers Clark's Campaign in 1779 and other expeditions against hostile Indians.[1]

Size and Composition

According to Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, the company consisted of about 1,000 men.[2] The number of companies is unknown, but according to Glenn Lough's Now and Long Ago: A History of the Marion County Area, companies were stationed in local civilian forts across the frontier of Monongalia County: such as Prickett's Fort, Morgan's Fort, and Statler's Fort.[3] The band of 1,000 men from the backwoods of western Virginia and Pennsylvania all hailed from Monongalia County, Virginia: made up of modern-day counties of Monongalia, Marion, Barbour, Harrison, Tucker, Randolph, and several others in north central West Virginia; and Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties of Pennsylvania.[4]

Combat Chronicle

The unit of Monongalia County Militia took part in the defense of the territories of western Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania from before the Revolution in 1774, to the resurgence of hostilities in 1775, to the final Indian Battle on the eastern side of the Ohio River at Fort Henry in 1782. Many, if not all, men that served with Monongalia County Militia had prior service against Native Americans while serving with the Virginia Regiment of the British Army in the French and Indian War: serving at battles like Fort Necessity, Expeditions against Fort Duquesne, and the Battle of the Monongahela. Pre-war, elements of the company constructed forts across western Virginia to defend against Chief Logan’s party of Natives following the Yellow Creek Massacre. However, the Battle of Point Pleasant of the short-lived Lord Dunmore’s War quickly drove off the party, and peace was restored across the land for less than a year. When Revolution began, companies drove invading Indian parties away from their local forts and homesteads, countered Indian attacks on nearby Fort Pitt in present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and defended the Backcountry area from Tory attacks and British interference in the early years of 1775 and 1776. Later on, threats of a Tory uprising in late 1777 and early in the year 1778 kept many elements of the unit at home.[5] What started as a British plot to create a regiment of loyalists and Natives, what became known as "Connolly’s Plot" brought cause to hopeless Tories and brought angered fervor to the men of Monongalia.[6] Two American leaders, Simon Girty and Alexander McKee, defected to the British Army in an attempt to hire Indians to attack American settlements in the Monongahela and Ohio Valleys.[1] Meanwhile, a small contingent of men from Monongalia County marched with Clark in his Illinois Campaign of 1778–1779.[1] In spite of odds being stacked against our militia of frontier patriots, the Tory threat was diminished following several small skirmishes (as well as legal action), and the Americans had a firm grasp on the western British and Indian territories.[7] Following Clark's initial occupation of the Illinois Country, other detachments fought with General McIntosh in his invasion of Indian towns in the lands West of the Ohio River, notably at the Siege of Fort Laurens when frontier units attempted to control Northwestern Indian Territories during McIntosh's Campaign in 1778 into early 1779. After the inconclusive McIntosh Campaign, Monongalia County was called upon again in the recapture of Vincennes and Fort Sackville in Illinois. [1] From 1780 onward, for Monongalia Militiamen, the Revolution was spent doing the typical frontiersmen duties of fighting off Indian and Tory invaders. Monongalia County Militia participated in some strength in 1781 during Brodhead's Coshocton Expedition,[8] and considerably in 1782 in Crawford's Expedition: another failed attempt to take British Fort Detroit.[9] Over time, several of the local civilian forts of Monongalia County were attacked: some stood the test of time and kept fighting for freedom (such as Fort Martin), while many others were ransacked and destroyed by adversaries (such as Fort Coburn).[9] Fighting on the frontier during the American Revolution arguably ended in 1782 after the last elements of Americans invaded Indian territories West of the Ohio River, and the Second Siege of Fort Henry was lifted. From 1775 to 1782, Monongalia County saw much death among its civilians rather than its combatants. Many white civilian men, women, and children were killed and scalped by Native enemies who invaded American forts and homesteads. While the unit as a whole does not have campaign credit for several battles of the Revolution, many of its members are credited for such action while serving with the 13th and 7th Virginia Line Regiments, 8th Pennsylvania Line Regiment, or the Virginia and Maryland Rifle Regiment: Siege of Boston, Battle of Trenton, Battles of Saratoga.[7]

Timeline of Events

1774 Hostilities following the Yellow Creek Massacre force settlers to establish the Monongalia County Militia (Mon. County Militia), as the frontier fighters construct civilian forts across the county to defend against possible Native aggressors. Such aggressors were defeated and were forced to sue for peace following defeat at the Battle of Point Pleasant.
1775 Occasional hostility between militia and Natives, relative peace is achieved via the Treaty of Camp Charlotte of 1774 ratified following Lord Dunmore's War.[1]
1776 Peace is maintained, Mon. County Militia is originally ordered to raise 234 men including 12 officers: the first of several such drafts throughout the war.[1]
1777 "The Year of the Bloody Three Sevens." Native hostilities renew as raids continue in newfound strength. A Tory revolt is quelled following the acquittal of Zackquill Morgan (He had supposedly drowned a Tory sympathizer in the Cheat River), and minor skirmish pushed said Tories and hired Natives across the Ohio into British Territory. Mon. county is ordered to raise an additional 40 men for total strength of 168.[1]
1778 Militiamen participate in McIntosh's Campaign in the Ohio Country as well as Clark's Campaign into the Illinois Country. Fort Coburn is destroyed by Natives. Number of men rises from 168 to 173[10]
1779 The draw at the Siege of Fort Laurens between frontier militia and Natives marks the end of McIntosh's Campaign. Elements of Mon. County militia recapture important British outposts in the Illinois Country, as Clark's Campaign ends in an American victory. Natives renew hostilities in Mon. County as Fort Martin defeats invaders.[10]
1780 American frontier militia remain at home, defending attacks from Natives, as fighting intensified.[11]
1781 Native attacks on settlements in Mon. County reach their peak: more and more civilians are killed and scalped, while local forts continue to "hold out."[1]
1782 Mon. County Militiamen participate in the failed Crawford Campaign in an attempt to defeat Native attackers once and for all. Natives make last attack at Fort Henry, marking an end of hostilities of the American Revolution in Mon. County as well as western Virginia.[12]
1783-1795 Treaty of Paris marks an official end between British and American forces. Native threats against Mon. County frontiersmen did not end until the defeat of Natives at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1795.[1]

Fort Commands

This is a list of civilian and military forts and blockhouses located in then-Monongalia County and/or under command of Monongalia County Militia:[13][14][15]

  • Fort Adkinson-Built [unknown] on Ten Mile Creek of Washington County, Pennsylvania.
  • Baldwin Blockhouse-Built 1774 near Blacksville, West Virginia
  • Fort Burris-Built 1766 in Star City area of Morgantown, West Virginia. Looted and destroyed in 1778.
  • Fort Butler-Built 1774 on Roaring Creek in Preston County, West Virginia.
  • Fort Cobun/Coburn-Built 1770 near Dorsey's Knob of Morgantown, West Virginia: destroyed in 1779.
  • Fort Coon-Built 1774 on Coon's Run of the West Fork River, survived an ambush in 1777.
  • Fort Currence/Fort Cassino-Built 1774 near village of Crickard in Randolph County, West Virginia.
  • Fort Dinwiddie-Built 1769 at Stewartstown, West Virginia.
  • Fort Edwards-Built 1772 near Boothsville, West Virginia.
  • Fort Evans- Built [unknown] near present-day Point Marion, Pennsylvania.
  • Fort Harrison-Built 1773 near Crooked Run in Monongalia County, West Virginia.
  • Hoult Blockhouse-Built 1772 north of Fairmont, West Virginia.
  • Fort Jackson-Built 1774 on the Ten Mile Creek in Harrison County, West Virginia.
  • Fort Kerns-Built 1772 on Deckers Creek near Morgantown, West Virginia.
  • Fort Lindley- Built [unknown] near Prosperity, Pennsylvania.
  • Fort Martin-Built 1773 on Crooked Run of the Case district in present-day Fort Martin community of Monongalia County, West Virginia: attacked in 1779 but prevailed.
  • Fort Morgan-Built 1772 in the vicinity of the city of Morgantown, West Virginia.
  • Fort Morris-Built 1774 along Bog Run in Preston County, West Virginia
  • Fort Nutter-Built 1772 on the Elk Creek of Harrison County, West Virginia.
  • Fort Paw Paw-Built 1781 in Rivesville, West Virginia
  • Fort Pierpont-Built 1769 in Union District of Monongalia County, West Virginia, four miles from Morgantown.
  • Fort Powers-Built 1771 on Simpson's Creek of Bridgeport, West Virginia.
  • Fort Prickett-Built 1774 near Fairmont, West Virginia.
  • Fort Scott's Mill-Built [unknown] near Star City area of Morgantown, West Virginia.
  • Fort Statler-Built 1770 on Dunkard Creek in Clay District of Monongalia County, West Virginia: destroyed in 1778.
  • Stewart Blockhouse-Built 1773 on Stewart's Run near village of Georgetown, West Virginia.
  • Fort Warwick-Built [unknown] in Huttonsville District of Randolph County, West Virginia
  • Fort Westfall-Built 1774 near Beverly of Randolph County, West Virginia.
  • Fort Wilson- Built 1772 near mouth of Chenoweth Creek of modern-day Randolph County, West Virginia.

Civilian and Military Victims

Below is a list of people or families killed or captured by Natives in Monongalia County from 1774 to 1782.[13][16]

Deaths: Taken Prisoner:
Captain Francis McClure Susan Oxx
Isaiah Prickett Thomas Hellen
Coleman Brown Will Robinson
James Coon Nathaniel Cochran
Maudeline Coon
David Edwards
James Owens
Captain James Booth
John Owens
John Juggins
Jacob Straight
Family of Charles Grigsby
Family of John Thomas

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lough, Glenn (1969). Now and Long Ago: A History of the Marion County Area (Reprint ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Printing Company (published 1994). pp. 332–361. ISBN 0-87012-513-3.
  2. ^ "Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826. Notes on the State of Virginia". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  3. ^ "A Return of Officers and Privates from the County of Monongahalia for the Expedition to the Indian Country" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-28.
  4. ^ "WV: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newburry.com.
  5. ^ Sullivan, Ken (April 25, 2024). ""The Revolutionary War"". e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  6. ^ Rice, Brown, Otis, Stephen (1993). West Virginia: A History (Second ed.). Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8131-1854-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b "History of Monongalia County, West Virginia, from its first settlements to the present time; | Library of Congress". www.loc.gov. pp. 54–71. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  8. ^ De Hass, Wills (2019). History of the Early Settlement and Indian Wars of West Virginia (Reprinted ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Publishing Company (published 1851). p. 179. ISBN 978-0-87012-002-2.
  9. ^ a b "Founders Online: Session of Virginia Council of State, 10 November 1778". Archives.gov. 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  10. ^ a b De Hass, Wills (2019). History of the Early Settlement and Indian Wars of West Virginia (Reprinted ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Publishing Company (published 1851). pp. 166–196. ISBN 978-0-87012-002-2.
  11. ^ De Hass, Wills (2019). History of the Early Settlement and Indian Wars of West Virginia (Reprinted ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Publishing Company (published 1851). pp. 201–276. ISBN 978-0-87012-002-2.
  12. ^ De Hass, Wills (2019). History of the Early Settlement and Indian Wars of West Virginia (Reprinted ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Publishing Company (published 1851). pp. 197–199. ISBN 978-0-87012-002-2.
  13. ^ a b Lough, Glenn (1969). Now and Long Ago: A History of the Marion County Area (Reprinted ed.). Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Printing Company (published 1994). pp. 298–314. ISBN 0-87012-513-3.
  14. ^ "List of Early Forts". History of West Virginia-The Rearguard of the Revolution. July 1, 2025.
  15. ^ "A Return of Officers and Privates from the County of Monongahalia for the Expedition to the Indian Country" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-28.
  16. ^ "A Return of Officers and Privates from the County of Monongahalia for the Expedition to the Indian Country" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-28.
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