War of 1812 in Illinois Territory-- Part 4: Enter Zachary, Exit Zachary, British Offensive

Other desultory expeditions marked the campaigns of 1813 and 1814.

The Indians, meanwhile, gaining courage, began near continuous marauding raids on American settlements.

Later, in 1814,  an expedition led by Major (later U.S. president)  Zachary Taylor ascended the Mississippi River as far as  Rock Island, where he found a large force of Indians supported by British regulars with artillery.  Finding himself unable to cope with so formidable a foe, Major Taylor retreated down the river.

On the site of the present-day town of Warsaw, Illinois, he threw up fortifications which eh named Fort Edwards.  However, he was subsequently compelled to retreat.

The same year, the British with their Indian allies, descended from Mackinac and capture Prairie du Chien and burned Forts Madison and Johnston, after which they retired to Cap Au Gris.

The Treaty of Ghent, signed December 24, 1814, closed the war although no formal treaties were made  with the tribes until the following year.

--Brock-Perry

Looking For Fort Johnson-- Part 3: The Fort Is Found

A search team using several documentary clues and a series of auger tests along with a remote sensing survey explored several residential properties opposite the former mouth of the Des Monies River.

They discovered Fort Johnson's location by luck  Many military buttons and objects dating to the period of time were found.  In addition, physical and geo-physical evidence was found.

All but one of the fifteen 1 X 2 millimeter hand units had War of 1812 features.

Also, evidence of structures that were at the fort as shown on a hand-drawn map made by Captain James Calloway were located.  Callaway was stationed at Fort Johnson.

--Brock-Perry

Looking For Fort Johnson-- Part 2: Exact Location Not Known

The following fall, 1815, Cantonment Davis was built on the site of Fort Johnson.  It was used as a winter staging area for the construction of the nearby Fort Edwards.  It was afterwards used by the military and later the American Fur Trading Company for several decades before it was abandoned.

An obelisk stands at the site of Fort Edwards, but the exact location of Fort Johnson and Cantonment Davis is unknown.  They knew roughly where they were, but not exactly.

--Brock-Perry

Looking For Fort Johnson-- Part 1: People Don't Know Much About the War in the Upper Mississippi Valley

From Illinois State Archaeology Survey "War of 1812 Forts Project."

During the summer of 2003, David Noka began an unsubsidized search for Fort Johnson and Cantonment Davis in Warsaw, Illinois.  They were assisted by others.

As far as the War of 1812 is concerned, some people in the country know a little about the war, mainly sea victories, Fort McHenry, Battle of New Orleans and the burning of Washington, D.C., but most would be hard-pressed to say much about the important aspect of the war in the Upper Mississippi region.

Brevet Major Zachary Taylor established Fort Johnson in September 1814.  It commanded the mouth of the Des Moines River and a series of rapids on the Mississippi River.

It was abandoned and destroyed less than eight weeks later when it became apparent that because of its remoteness, if would be too hard to supply during the winter.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Edwards Monument, Warsaw, Illinois

Built 1914 to honor 100th anniversary.  Barre granite monument.  Cost $7,390.  A three-day celebration was held, attracting crowd estimated to be at 10,000..

The monument has four bronze panels at the bottom of it.  The first three feature pictures of Fort Edwards, Ninian Edwards (Illinois Territorial Governor and namesake) and Zachary Taylor.

The fourth panel reads:  "Erected September, 1914 to commemorate the establishment of Fort Edwards built by Major Zachary Taylor 3rd U.S. Infantry September 1814.  Abandoned July 1824."

Evidently, for the fourth panel, they got a lot of this confused with Fort Johnson.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Edwards-- Part 3: Built to Replace Fort Johnson

From the Warsaw, Illinois, Park District.

Even after the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812, problems with the Indians continued.

The 5th U.S. Infantry was sent to establish a fort in Illinois at the mouth of the Des Moines River.  They likely discovered the charred remains of Fort Johnson but found a more commanding view of the Mississippi River and Des Moines River.  They spent the winter and construction of the new fort in Cantonment Davis located on the ruins of Fort Johnson.

They cleared the bluff north of the old fort and built Fort Edwards, named after the territorial governor of Illinois, Ninian Edwards.  This fort was abandoned by the military in 1824 and was then used by the American Fur Company owned by John Jacob Astor.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson-- Part 4: Where Is It?

From Warsaw, Illinois, Park District.

Fort Johnson was hastily built in 1814 and was a rough stockade of rounded logs with blockhouses.  But in Autumn 1814 it was burned when the fort was abandoned by the Army when it retreated further south to an installation near Elsberry, Missouri.

Fort Johnson was always known to exist on the bluff somewhere near present-day Mulberry Street in Warsaw, but the exact site is in question.

However, persistent research by Joe Bartholomew and others have discovered the location through discoveries and artifacts found at the site.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Edwards in Warsaw, Illinois-- Part 2: An Interesting Story

Sometime before 1820, a beautiful Indian maid had a dream that a white warrior would paddle across the Mississippi and come to her lodge.    When she awoke, she went to Fort Edwards where she saw Dr. Samuel Muir, an army surgeon.  She believed him to be the man of her dreams.

She told her story to Dr. Muir and "due to her beauty, devotion and innocence,"  Muir agreed to marry her.

He called her Sophia and they had a baby.  Many of the other officers at Fort Edwards derided Muir for marrying an Indian girl and he became ashamed.  He was restationed to another fort in Missouri and abandoned her.

She then traveled one hundred miles with children and found him and Muir then swore that he would never leave her again.  The Army later banned marriages between officers and Indian women, whereupon Muir resigned his commission.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Edwards in Warsaw, Illinois-- Part 1: Replaced Fort Johnson

From Illinois in Focus.

Warsaw, in Hancock County, is the westernmost town in Illinois.  At the north end of the town is Fort Edwards Park.  This is on the site of Fort Edwards, the fort that replaced Fort Johnson.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson (Illinois)-- Part 3: Three Fortifications in Warsaw, Illinois

From Joseph Smith Papers.

Fort Johnson.  Located at the foot of the Des Moines rapids on the Mississippi River in the town of Warsaw, Illinois.

Three forts have been constructed there:  Fort Johnson (1814), Cantonment Davis (1815-1818) and Fort Edwards  (1816-1824).

I was wondering about the Fort Edwards mentioned in the last post.  So it replaced Fort Johnson.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson (Illinois)-- Part 2: Where Is It?

In October 1815, Fort Johnson was reoccupied and renamed Cantonment Davis.  Troops from here helped construct Fort Edwards which was occupied by American troops until 1824 and then traders moved in until about 1832.

Recent archaeological surveys have determined the probable location of Fort Johnson / Cantonment Davis.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Built on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in modern-day Warsaw, Illinois.  Was established in 1814 by Major Zachary Taylor after retreating from the loss at the Battle of Credit Island.  The fort was able to hold a full company of troops. and had a commanding view of both the Mississippi River and the mouth of the Des Moines River.

Taylor and his men remained there into October 1814,when their supplies ran out.  They retreated from here to Cap au Gris, near St. Louis.

--Brock-Perry

Back to Fort Johnson

From Waymarking

In 1816, Fort Johnson at Warsaw, Illinois, was replaced by Fort Edwards, named for Ninian Edwards, governor of Illinois Territory and third governor of the state.

An obelisk was erected on the site with four bronze panels at the base.  The first depicts the fort, the second Ninian Edwards, the third Zachary Taylor and the fourth reads "Erected September 1914, to commemorate the establishment of Fort Edwards built by Major Zachary Taylor, 3rd U.S. Infantry September, 1814.  Abandoned July, 1824.

Brock-Perry

Some More on Illinois' Fort Johnson

From Wikipedia

Built on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.  Construction began in September 1814 by Zachary Taylor near present-day Warsaw, after he retreated following the Battle of Credit Island, by Davenport, Iowa.  It had a commanding view of the Mississippi River, the mouth of the Des Moines River and the foot of the Des Moines Rapids.

The fort could hold a company of soldiers, but was abandoned in late October 1814 when the company retreated to Cap au Gris near St. Louis.

In October 1815, the site was reoccupied and Cantonment Davis established.  Troops from it helped build Fort Edwards by the site which was occupied by the army until 1824 and until 1832 by traders.

Build the Fort and They Will Come.  --Brock-Perry

Illinois' Fort Johnson and Cantonment Davis

From the Sept. 15, 2012 Quincy (Il) Herald-Whig "Warsaw fort highlighted during Archaeology Awareness Month."

For years, archaeologists have been looking to find the long lost sites of Fort Johnson and Cantonment Davis, both established by future president Zachary Taylor when he was in Warsaw.  However, an Illinois State Archaeological Survey recently located both and found 318 military buttons, gun flints, musket balls and cooking items.

The fort was built starting around September 7, 1814, but was burned to the ground the same year when Taylor and troops ran out of provisions and moved to St. Louis.  While at the fort, the Americans had been continually harassed by the Sauk Indians and the British.

About 1500 troops returned in 1815 and built Cantonment Davis, which housed soldiers who built a series of military trading posts, including Fort Edward in Warsaw.

The Fort Johnson site was first sought in 1983.

Stuff I Didn't Know.  Well, Actually, Most War of 1812 Stuff I Didn't Know About, But I'm Learning.  --Brock-Perry