Fort Plank, as we know it, was born out of the labors of local soldiers of Palatine descent under the command of Captains Abraham Coapman and Jacob Diefendorf of the Canajoharie District Regiment of Tryon County Militia, in the spring and summer of 1778. Contemporary records show that the fort's site had been used extensively in the past as a place of encampment that was protected by an "old blockhouse". These same sources demonstrate that the fort consisted of at least one redoubt, a guardhouse, an abatis, and two blockhouses.

The headquarters of Tryon County's First Regiment of Militia was located within its walls from its birth until as late as 1782, with either Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Clyde or Major Abraham Coapman commonly in command. From December of 1778 until May of 1779, it served as the home of the Fourth New York Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Regnier De Rousi. After the devastating raids of 1780, it became the home of scores of misplaced individuals.

Within four short weeks of the August 2, 1780, "Fort Plank Massacre" the fortress was renamed "Fort Plain", and the name of John Plank of Captain Joseph House's Company had been changed to John Plane. Then, in October of 1782, "Fort Plain" was renamed "Fort McKeen", by order of Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Willett, in a ceremony honoring Captain Robert McKeen of who had died on July 11, 1781 from wounds he sustained in the Battle of Turlough. The name "Fort McKeen" was short lived however, as only a fortnight later Lord Sterling ordered that all military works in the Canajoharie District of Tryon County be referred to as "Fort Rensselaer and none other." After the war, the individual fortresses reassumed their previous names and today Fort Plank continues to be known simply as Fort Plain.

In 1786, the family of Henrich Eckler left Fort Plank for their former home at the Osquake, marking the end of a short, but remarkable life. She know lies hidden beneath the fruits of nature on what we locals call "Sand Hill", one and one half miles west of the mouth of the Otsquago Creek on the northern side of New York State Route 5S.

In the 1980's, the loss of the memories of Fort Plank led a then young man from rural Nebraska, whose ancestors had died defending the fortress on August 2nd, 1780, to attempt to preserve the Fort's place in history. Despite this gentleman's excuses of being not only an untrained historian, but a novice author, he was eventually led to tell the stories of her gallant inhabitants in " The Bloodied Mohawk: The American Revolution in the Words of Fort Plank's Defenders and Other Mohawk Valley Partisans" .

This web-site is dedicated to the memories of the men and women of Fort Plank. Thus, researchers will hopefully find herein resources which will help them to understand the importance of this fortress and its role in establishing what has become the United States.

On the behalf of the Partisans of the Mohawk Valley, I thank you for visiting their web site, and ask that you occasionally remember their sacrifices, as we owe them our freedom.

Sincerely,

Their Most Humble and Obedient Servant,

Ken D. Johnson
Fort Plank Historian