Fort Ashby, 
Last Standing of Chain

In 1755 Colonel George Washington gave orders to build a stockade and fort on the east side of Patterson’s Creek. On Christmas Day, 1755, Captain Charles Lewis of Fredericksburg, took command of the fort and a garrison of twenty-one men. He had orders from Colonel Washington to remain quiet as long as he could and to hold the fort as long as possible, but if necessary, rather than surrender, he should burn it and try to escape to Fort Sellars on the east side of the mouth of Patterson’s Creek.

The only major battle at Fort Ashby occurred in 1756 when Lieutenant Robert Rutherford and his rangers were defeated by a band of the French & Indians. During the siege, Colonel John Ashby, who was out of the fort, was attacked by Indians and made a remarkable escape to the fort. It was from this incident that the name, Fort Ashby, was applied. Fort Ashby is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is the only standing unit in a chain of forts Washington had built along the Virginia frontier.

The town of Fort Ashby is located in Mineral County, WV at the intersection of Rt. 28 and Rt. 46. To reach the Fort turn onto Dan’s Run Road at the intersection. The Fort is on the left side of the road.

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