FIRST FORT BUILT IN KENTUCKY - FORT TWITTY Richmond, KY, USA
N 37° 42.437 W 084° 16.807
16S E 739767 N 4176820
First fort built in Kentucky by Daniel Boone’s trailblazing party when they carved out the trail that came to be known as Boone Trace in 1775. This is a small grey granite marker with no visible DAR insignia.
Waymark Code: WM182PY
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 05/18/2023
Views: 2
"Native Americans attack Daniel Boone’s trailblazing party while they constructed Boone Trace in the spring of 1775.
Boone and his men camped at this location on Taylor’s Fork of Silver Creek on the night of March 24, 1775. The party mistakenly believed the potential for attack was minimal at this point in their journey. Therefore, they failed to post guards around their bivouac. In the early morning hours of March 25, while the party slept, shots were fired into the camp.
One shot went through the knees of Captain William Twitty (sometimes spelled Twetty). Although grievously wounded, he did not die immediately. However, Twitty’s slave, Sam, was killed instantly and fell into the campfire. Twitty was then rushed by an attacker who attempted to take his scalp. Twitty was temporarily saved by his bulldog, which was tomahawked to death in the process. Another member of the party, Felix Walker, was severely injured but eventually survived. Fearing for their lives, Boone and the other campers made an escape by fleeing into the dark wilderness. The surprise attack ended as suddenly as it had begun. After taking a couple of horses the Native Americans disappeared into the woods and the road cutters cautiously returned to the campsite at first light.
The injuries to Twitty and Walker were so severe that they could not be transported safely. A temporary log shelter was constructed for their comfort and as a protective defensive position for the rest of the party. Within a few days, Twitty died and was buried along with Sam at the site. The temporary structure became known as “Twitty’s Fort” or “The Little Fort” and continued to exist for many years. The location appeared on period court documents and early surveys and was used as a directional reference point."
~ Friends of Boone Trace, Inc. ~
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