Southern Indiana

Last Update: 01/MAY/2007

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2007 American Forts Network

Fort Knox
(1787 - 1816), Vincennes
A Federal stockade fort with blockhouses at the four corners, originally located on the north-side of present-day Buntin Street. The post was relocated in 1803 to an 83-acre site three miles north of town, consisting initially of only a blockhouse and barracks. A picketed stockade with bastions was added in 1810. This second site has been excavated and marked by the Indiana Historical Society. Dismantled in 1813, it was moved back to town and rebuilt as a simple stockade at the site of Fort Sackville. It was later abandoned and all stores were sent to Fort Harrison.
(additional info provided by Stanley Schmitt)

Fort Sackville
(George Rodgers Clark National Historical Park)
(1760 - 1783 ?), Vincennes
A French trading post was first located here in 1683. The French built a fort in 1705 (rebuilt 1724), known as Poste St. Francis Xavier, after the mission built here in 1702. The French later built Fort de Vincennes (aka Poste de Vincennes) (1732 - 1760), named Poste (Fort) Ouabache (Fort Wabash (1)) until 1736. The British took possession of the dilapidated fort in 1760 but they decided not to use it. They rebuilt it in 1777. American frontiersmen held it for a month in 1778. The fort was captured again by the Patriots in February 1779 and renamed Fort Patrick Henry. Vincennes was the state's first permanent white settlement.

Deshee River Fort
(1810's), near Purcell
An unnamed settlers' fort (?) on the north bank of the Deshee River, along the old Bank's Trace.

Purcell's Fort
(1812 - unknown), near Fritchton
A settlers' fort, also referred to as Fort Purcell.

Rose's Fort
(1810's), near Wheatland
A settlers' fort.

Fort Bruce
(1811 - unknown), Bruceville
A settlers' fort.

Emison Blockhouse
(1810's), Emison
A settlers' fort protecting a mill.

McClure's Fort
(1810's), near Busseron
A settlers' fort.

Widner's Fort
(1810's), near Freelandville
A settlers' fort located northeast of McClure's Fort, on the west bank of Maria Creek.

Fort Polk
(1810's), near Freelandville
A settlers' fort located east of Widner's Fort, on the east bank of Maria Creek.

Fort Chambers
(1810's), near Freelandville
A settlers' fort located east of Widner's Fort, on the east bank of Maria Creek.

Fort Taylor
(1810's), near Freelandville
A settlers' fort located east of Widner's Fort, on the east bank of Maria Creek.

Fort Haddan
(1810's), near Freelandville
A settlers' fort.

John Aikman's Fort
(1813 - unknown), near Washington
A settlers' blockhouse located south of town.

Ballow Fort
(1812 - unknown), Daviess County
A settlers' fort.

Palmer's Fort
(1813 - unknown), near Plainville
A settlers' fort, also referred to as Fort Palmer.

Hawkins' Fort
(1810's), near Plainville
A settlers' fort south of Palmer's Fort and west of Fort Letts.

Lettsville Blockhouse
(1811 - unknown), Lettsville
A settlers' fort located on Prairie Creek. Also referred to as Fort Letts.

David Flora's Fort
(1813 - unknown), Washington
A settlers' fort, also referred to as Fort Flora. Located at present-day Main and East Second Streets.

Fort Jones
(1813 - unknown), near Washington
A settlers' fort located one mile south of town.

Coleman's Fort
(1812 - unknown), near Conner
A settlers' fort south of town. Also referred to as Fort Coleman.

Conner's Fort (2)
(1812 - unknown), Conner
A settlers' fort, also referred to as Fort Conner (2).

White Oak Springs Fort
(1806 ?), Petersburg
A settlers' blockhouse. Attacked by Indians in 1813. The Northwest Rangers had a fortified camp here or nearby after 1811.

David Robb's Fort
(1810 - unknown), near Hazelton
A settlers' blockhouse.

Fort Archer
(1807 - unknown), near Princeton
A settlers' fort northwest of town.

Fort Hopkins
(1810 - unknown), near Princeton
A settlers' fort located near the old Archer Cemetery northwest of town.

William Harrington's Stockade
(1810 - unknown), near Princeton
A settlers' stockaded house located one and one-half mile west of town.

Fort Gibson
(1810's), near Francisco
A settlers' fort. Located between Fort Branch and Francisco.

Thomas Montgomery's Fort
(1811 - unknown), near Owensville
A settlers' stockaded fort located south of town.

Fort Branch
(1811 - unknown), Fort Branch
A settlers' stockaded fort with two two-story blockhouses, located across Pigeon Creek.

Fort Wabash (2)
(1750 - unknown, 1790 - unknown), near Hovey
A French stockaded fort located at the mouth of the Wabash River on the Ohio River. Later known as the Salt Stockade (1790) by local settlers.

Angel Mounds
(Angel Mounds State Historic Site)
(1100 - 1450), near Evansville
A stockaded temple/city complex on the Ohio River east of town, built by the ancient Mound Builders of the Middle Mississipian period. A reconstructed section of the town is located in the park, located at 8215 Pollack Ave..

Stockade Fort (2)
(1810's), near Selvin
An unnamed local militia or settlers' fort located on the old Yellow Banks Trace.

Fort Butler
(1800's), near Jasper
A settlers' fort.

Fort McDonald
(1804 - unknown), near Portersville
A settlers' fort. First settled in 1802.

Fort Farris
(1800's), Dubois
A settlers' fort.

French Lick Camp
(1810 - 1815), near Cuzco
A fortified camp manned by the Northwest Rangers. Located at the junction of the old Buffalo Trace and the Cincinnati Trace.

Brook's Trading Post
(1818), near Pleasant Valley
Located on the south (east) bank of the White River at Hindostan Falls.

Bigger's Trading Post
(unknown), near Bloomington
Located west of the city on the old Bigger's Trace west of Clear Creek.

Flinn's Fort
(1810 - unknown), Leesville
A settlers' fort built by William and Jacob Flinn and Daniel Guthrie. Also referred to as the Flinn - Guthrie Fort. Attacked by Indians in 1813. Read story of 1813 attack

White River Stockade
(1811), Fort Ritner
An unnamed temporary militia stockade protecting a supply camp.
(NOTE: No fort seems to have ever existed by the name of "Fort Ritner". The town was founded and named as such by Michael Ritner in 1856.)

Spring Mill Trading Post
(1815), near Lawrenceport

Fort Vallonia
(1811 - unknown), Vallonia
A settlers' blockhouse. The entire town was stockaded after an Indian attack in late 1812. The Northwest Rangers were here in 1813. The stockade has been reconstructed, and a monument and museum are on Main Street.

Fort Alexander
(1812 - unknown), near Vallonia
A settlers' fort located south of Fort Vallonia.

Fort Defiance
(1812 - unknown), near Brownstown
A settlers' fort located between Fort Vallonia and Ketcham's Fort.

James Hutchinson's Fort
(1809 - unknown), near Brownstown
A settlers' fort located two miles southwest of town.

Ketcham's Fort
(1811 - unknown), Brownstown
A settlers' fort. No remains, exact site located about 800 feet down the railroad from the present-day Marion-Kay Spice Company.

Shields' Trading Post
(1805), Seymour

Joseph Maxwell's Fort
(1811 - unknown), near Orleans
A settlers' fort on the Lost River southeast of town.

Lost River Fort
(1810's), near Orleans
An unnamed settlers' blockhouse. Possibly the same as Maxwell's Fort.

Moore's Fort
(1810 ? - unknown), Orange County
A settlers' log blockhouse near Stampers Creek (location ?). It was defended by a fraised moat.

French Lick Trading Post
(1800's), French Lick
May have been manned by the Northwest Rangers after 1811.

Paoli Fort
(prehistoric), Paoli
A line of two earthwork embankments built by the ancient Mound Builders, about three feet high and 12-30 feet apart and about 1300 feet long, forming a large half-oval along the south bank of Lick Creek one mile east of town. In an 1875 report there were 12 small mounds within the enclosure. None exist today.

Valeene Fort
(prehistoric), Valeene
An oval-shaped earth embankment along Patoka Creek once existed about one-half mile east of town, built by the ancient Mound Builders. No remains.

Ranger Camp
(1810's), near Hardinsburg
A fortified camp of the Northwest Rangers located south of town just across the present-day Harrison County line, on the west bank of the Blue River.

Washington County Settler Forts
(1810's), various locations
Samuel Catlin's Fort, three miles north of Fredericksburg.
John Beck's Fort, Becks Mill. Two forts were here, the house (1808) and probably the gristmill (1809).
George Brock's (Sr. or Jr. ?) Fort, unknown location (Washington Township).
James Young's Fort, unknown location (Washington Township).
(Col. Henry ?) Dewalt's Fort, unknown location (possibly in Section 14, Washington Township 1809).
Sinking Spring Fort, Madison Township, near Hardinsburg. Provided safe haven for a dozen families in 1812.
McKnight's Fort (a), seven miles west or south of Salem.
Lick Fort, at "Royce's Lick" near Salem (Section 15, Township Two North, Range Four East).
Lick Creek Blockhouse (1811), at Half Moon Spring (location ?). Possibly the same as above.
McKnight's Fort (b) (1812), Franklin Township, near New Philadelphia ?.
Finley's Fort (1812), seven miles north or east of Salem.
William Logan's Fort, Monroe Township near Kossuth.
Fort Hattabaugh, Monroe Township near Plattsburg. A stockaded row of log cabins with a blockhouse at each end. Built on George Hattabaugh's land (1810).
Fleener's Fort, unknown location.

Other unnamed settler forts were located at: one three miles southwest of Salem; one in Salem; one near the Quaker Meeting House (location ?); one in Harristown; one in Livonia (Madison Township); and one in the northwest part of Franklin Township in Section Seven (Hensley 1809 ?). Some of these may be named above.

Fort Steuben
(1786 - 1797), Jeffersonville
Relocated from Fort Finney in Ohio, located at what would later become the lower end of town. Originally named Fort Finney until renamed in 1787. It was a small square-shaped timber and earthen work with blockhouses at the southern corners, a guardhouse/bastion in the center of the northern wall, barracks forming part of the walls, and a deep trench ("covered way") leading to the river. Garrisoned by territorial militia from 1791 - 1793. Garrisoned by Federal troops until finally abandoned in 1797.
(additional info provided by Stanley Schmitt)

Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot
(1860's - 1950's), Jeffersonville
An Army Quartermaster Corps Depot used to store and repair supplies. Now the Quadrangle Shopping Center. The city bought the 17-acre complex in 2001 for future redevelopment.

Fort Clark
(1810's), Clarksville
A settlers' stockaded fort for the town defense.

Springville Fort
(1810's), Springville
A settlers' fort near Charlestown.

Tulley's Trading Post
(1800's), Springville
Located at old Tulleytown.

Col. John Armstrong's Station
(1786 - unknown), near Owen
A settlers' blockhouse located at the mouth of Bull Creek, about 18 miles above Louisville, KY, to prevent Indians from crossing the Ohio River at this point.

Silver Creek Fort
(1810's), near Henryville (?)
A settlers' fort. Possibly the same as Collings' Fort.

Zebulon Collings' Fort
(1812 - unknown), near Henryville
A settlers' fort located on Silver Creek, about five miles south of the Pigeon Roost settlement.

Vienna Fort
(1812 - unknown), Vienna
A town fort and blockhouse, located about seven miles north of the Pigeon Roost settlement.

Henry Ristine's Blockhouse
(1812 - unknown), Madison
A settlers' blockhouse, located on a hill in or near the town.

Madison Fort
(1812 - unknown), Madison
A town defense against Indians, located within the present-day Court House Square.

Harbert's Fort
(1812 - unknown), Wirt
A settlers' blockhouse located on the south-side of Harbert's Creek, near the original settlement's meeting house.

Deputy Blockhouse
(1812 - unknown), Deputy
A settlers' blockhouse.

Buchanan's Station
(1812 - unknown), Shelby Township, Jefferson County
A local militia blockhouse located somewhere along the present-day northeastern boundary of the county.

Capt. James McGuire's Fort
(1811 or 1812 - unknown), near Farmers Retreat
A settlers' blockhouse built by (or at least on the land of) Benjamin Purcell on Laughery Creek. Garrisoned by the local militia under the command of Capt. McGuire. No remains. Marker near site at Bear Branch and Bum Hollow Roads.
(thanks to Rich Ferguson for providing info)

John Conner's Trading Post (1)
(1803), near Cedar Grove

John Conner's Trading Post (2)
(1806), near Brookville

Indiana Civil War Camps
(various locations, north to south)

Camp Bloomington (1863), Labertews Grove near Bloomington.
Camp Logan (2) (1862), Greensburg.
Camp Ross (2) (1862), Greensburg.
Camp Columbus (1864), Columbus.
Camp Heffren (1861), Seymour.
Camp Laz Noble (1862), Lawrenceburg, located on the Whitewater Canal east of town.
Camp Emerson, Madison, located at the old fairgrounds.
Camp Gray, near Madison, located eight miles from town.
Camp Hanover, Hanover.
Camp Gilbert (1862), Port Fulton near Jeffersonville, possibly located at the later site of Jefferson Army General Hospital (1864 - 1866).
Camp Andy Johnson (1861), Port Fulton, originally called Camp Joe Bright.
Camp Sherman (1861), Port Fulton.
Camp Joe Holt (1) (1861 - 1862), Jeffersonville, initially a Union training camp for Kentucky troops when that state was still officially neutral. Located from Front Street to Todd Street, north past Montgomery Street to Cane Run Creek. A military hospital was built here 1862 - 1864.
Camp Butler (1862 - 1863), Cannelton.
Camp Reynolds (1) (1862), Rockport.
Camp Wallace (1861), Evansville, located at Reitz Hill (Coal Mine Hill). Originally named Camp Morris (1) and located on the east-bank of Pigeon Creek. Reitz Hill was also site of unnamed camps in 1863-64.
Camp Lewis (1862), Evansville. A temporary camp.
Camp Steuben, Evansville. A temporary camp.
Camp Cochran, Evansville. A temporary camp.
Camp Scott (1861), Evansville, located at the Salt Well Resort on Pigeon Creek. A convalescent hospital was also here. Originally named Camp Gavitt.
Camp Vanderburgh (1861 - 1863), Evansville, located at the old fairgrounds on Pigeon Creek. Originally named Camp Baker.
Ehrman Barracks (aka Upper Barracks) (1864 - 1865), Evansville, located at the foot of Cherry Street at the Ohio River. Used by the Veteran Reserve Corps. Adjacent to the Army's commissary and Quartermaster depot. Previously the site of Camp Cruft (1861), Camp Elkins (1861), and other unnamed temporary camps in 1862 and 1864.
Lower Barracks (1864), Evansville, located at the foot of Wabash Ave. at the Ohio River. Used by the Veteran Reserve Corps. Adjacent to the Marine Hospital and the Army's military hospital.
Owen Barracks (1861 - 1862), Evansville.
Camp Mt. Vernon (1861), Mt. Vernon, located at the old fairgrounds.
Camp Graham (1863), Mt. Vernon.
Camp Gibson (1861 - 1862), Princeton, located at the old fairgrounds.
Camp Knox (1861), Vincennes, located at the old fairgrounds near present-day 2nd Street and Niblack Blvd.

(additional Evansville camp info provided by Stanley Schmitt)

Thanks to Marvin Atchison for providing info and maps on the early settler forts and trading posts of Indiana.

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