THE BLOODIED MOHAWK
	THE IDENTITY OF FORT MCKEEN

Few places have been as shrouded in mystery as has Fort McKeen. Rufus Grider and Samuel Ludlow Frey both had differing opinions as to its location and significance. Jeptha R. Simms did not mention it at all. Thus, all known references to this fortification in Revolutionary War Pension Applications have been gathered together here.

PHILIP AUSTIN, RWPA #S16035. Austin states that he was discharged from Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Willett’s Corps at Fort McKeen in January of 1783.

EDWARD EVANS, RWPA #S3487.

Vernon Trumbull County Ohio May 8^th 1835

. . . That among the Documents removed from Albany is a power of attorney of Edward Evans (who subscribed it with a cross mark) and in favour of Capt Jonathan Pearsee for his pay from May 1st 1782 to January 1st 1783 dated Fort Ranselaer dated April 1st 1783 I have no distinction of the transaction but have an impression of something of the kind taking place that he was going to Phillidelphia & was disposd to make an effort for our Relief as we then had been in service about one year & had Received no pay but I think it must have passed in the negative as I received no pay But I distinctly Recolect that he went out to the south about that time & was absent from the Regiment I should Judge between two & three months As it Respects the execution by a cross mark I can only say that at its date & prior I had never written & of course it would have been the only way which I could execute that or any other instrument in writing

            As to the Name of the place where it was alone the history is the following Late in autumn 1782 the Major part of the Regiment commanded b[y] Col Willet with one or two companies of Artillerymen were stationed at a place call Fort Plain & it appeared that there had some time previous been slain by the enemy a Capt McKeen whose remains were taken from the place where they had been deposited & removed to the burying ground near the Fort & Reintared with Military Hounors & the firing of cannon & in general orders Read at the head of the by order of the commandant that the fort should from hence forth be known & call'd by the name of Fort M^cKeen & of course for a time all official writs were dated & Recorded don at Fort McKeen but how long the order remaind in force I do not recolect but subsequently another order probibaly from higher authority but without any publick exhibition at least upon the Ground it was deemed that it should be known & calld by the name Fort Renslear & I believe as long as the Regiment remainded the place all official proceedings were dated at Fort Renslear but the original name it appears is most formilliar & signifficant & I believe as universally known & calld by the Name of Fort Plain which is also the name of the Post office in the place I have written to my son at Brock port to forward my original Declaration & sent to your office . . .

PETER FLAGG, RWPA #W12099. In his deposition of September 6, 1833, he stated:

. . . And this deponent further says, that in the year 1781. And he thinks in the month of May, he Enlisted in Capt M^c Keens Company, Robert M^c Keen, in Col Marinus Willett's Regiment, for the Term of nine Months, that he Enlisted at Fort Plain in the then County of Tryon now county of Montgomery -- That in the fall of the year part of the Regiment and some company's of Militia were ordered to take the Enemy who were encamped in the Woods near a place called Turlock or Durlock that they marched out in the night and next morning they had a battle with the Enemy & Deponents Captain was killed in the Engagement, he did not die on the filed, but was wounded and carried by the men to Bowmans kill, and next day died when they were removing him to Fort Plant, at which he was buried -- That this deponent was also Engaged in the battle of Johnstown under Col. Willett against the Enemy under the Command of Major Ross, that Col. Willett had about four hundred men and some Militia and the Enemy were about seven hundred strong picked troops, that Ross was defeated & lost one brass field piece which he had before take, that there were a number of prisoners taken from the Enemy at that time -- that after the battle they came back to Fort plain; . . .

DAVID STORM, RWPA #S4900. Storm states that he was present when Captain Robert McKeen was buried in 1781.

BUDD STUART, RWPA #W1662. Concerning the Battle of Turlough and the death of Captain Robert McKean, Budd states this . . . Deponent assisted Corporal Scott & two others to carry Captain McKean from the field of Battle and was afterwards present at his burial at Fort Rensselaer . . . Stuart states Captain McKean’s son was wounded in the mouth during the Battle of Turlough.

JACOB STUFFLEBEAN, RWPA #W16739. Jacob states that Elihu Marshall was appointed captain in the billet vacated by McKeen’s death in 1781.

GEORGE VAN SLYKE, RWPA #S10016. Van Slyck states that he was one of those who carried the wounded Captain McKeen home from the Battle of Turlough.

PETER WALRADT, RWPA #S11684. Walradt states that . . . In the early part of summer the day of the month nor the month deponent is not quite certain in 1781 Col Willet commanded at Fort Plank or Fort Plain as it is since called & ordered a company of men to the Town of Turlock or Durlock now Sharon & County of Schoharie to attack the Indians under the command of the Tory Dortslaster a distance of 16 or 18 miles from Palatine — Deponent Volunteered in the expedition — a battle ensued — Where the Indians and Tories were defeated & dispersed — Col McKean was killed — Col. Willet commanded in person. Started from Fort Plank in the afternoon & traveled all night — Was absent three or four days & returned home — . . .

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Brigade Major William Scott, Orderly Book of the New Hampshire Brigade, Mss. #Am 6344, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..

Head Quarters Albany Octr. 22d 1782

Some confusion and inconviences have arisen from some of our posts being called by a veriety of names particularly at Canajohary, where the fort and works originaly called Fort Renselaer has by some since been called Fort Plain. In order such inconveniance for the future that post with its appendages is by all persons belonging to the army within this department and all those opperating with it either in the military or civil branches in all their reports, returns and letters on business to be called Fort Renselaer and no other

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