Guardians of the Mohawk
Fortified Homes of the New York Frontier |
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Special thanks to Wayne Lenig for much of the information used in this section |
| The “Burning of the Valleys” in 1780 made it clear that a new defensive strategy was needed for the Mohawk Valley. Colonel Marinus Willett assumed command of the upstate New York forces in April of 1781. His letters to General Washington reveal their decision to pursue a more mobile strategy, rotating his forces in and out of smaller forts surrounding his headquarters here at Fort Plain. A system of couriers maintained communications with the outlying fortifications. When trouble erupted troops were immediately dispensed to the scene from Fort Plain with others called in as needed from nearby forts. The map on the right was created by historian Nelson Greene to illustrate Willett’s plan to defend the Mohawk Valley and to highlight the strategic importance of Fort Plain as his base of operations. |
The series of fortified homes and stockades which formed the defensive circle around Fort Plain have been the source of much conjecture and confusion. Some sites are marked by New York State historical markers while others are only known to a few local historians. The Fort Plain Museum continues to research each of these sites collecting data and artifacts for study by future generations.
These "Guardians" of the Mohawk Valley are listed as follows:
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