In 1756 the privatly owned (and variously spelled) Fort Vass/Vause/Vauxe in modern Shawsville, Virginia, was burned during a French and allied Indian raid by a war party led by Battle of the Monongahela veteran François-Marie Picoté, sieur de Belestre II. Vause's fort was possibly simply a fortified log house or perhaps a two story log "blockhouse" as it was described in the in the Boston and New York newspapers. As part of a defensive "Chain of Forts," Virginia Provincials were assigned to rebuild a "one hundred feet square in the clear" fortification at, or near the site of the original fort on Vause's property.
The location of the second (Hogg's) fort at Vause's has been confirmed, the location of the nearby original (burned) fort has yet to be determined. For information on the archeaology at Fort Vause see "The Second Fort Vause" by Kim McBride (The Archaeology of French and Indian War Frontier Forts. ). Despite being able to pinpoint the outline of the second fort and bastions, McBride writes that "No evidence was found of construction methods of the curtain walls or other structures that connected the bastions...if this construction was entirely above ground, it has likely been obliterated." It is worth noting that the Council of War recommendations for building these forts suggested "Stockades to be 14 feet long" implying walls made of vertical logs placed in the ground. Unless traces of the post molds have been obliterated by plowing, the earthen walls of the second Fort Vause may have been constructed in the same manner as those of Fort Loudon in Winchester, Virginia; described by Andrew Burnaby as "logs filled up with earth."
Colonel George Washington checked on the construction progress in October of 1756. The location was considered very important as "..The fort at Vass's (which Capt. Hogg is now building) is in a much exposed gap; subject to the inroads of the Southern Indians, and in a manner covers the greatest part of Bedford and Halifax." [November 9, 1756. A Plan of the Number of Forts, and strength necessary to each extending entirely across our Frontiers, from South to North.]
Captain Peter Hogg's efforts at fort construction were slow and expensive, additionally payroll irregularities led to him being stripped of his command. Washington wrote to Hogg in July of 1757 that:
I have great complaints made concerning your manner of carrying on the works at the Fort you are building. It has cost infinitely more money than ever was intended for it. and, by the injudicious spot of ground you have chosen to fix it upon, it has caused a general clamour.
Mr Bullet and Mr Fleming inform me, that you refuse to do the necessaries belonging to it.
I therefore desire you will immediately upon receipt of this, deliver up the company, arms, stores and fort, to the command of the former; that the Kings Service may not suffer: You are to take Lt Bullet’s receipt for every thing delivered to him.
Hogg was ordered to compile an inventory of stores to turn over to Lt. Bullet in 1757, a transcription of which is below.
"Inventory of the Stores Belonging to ye Garrison at Vasses
To powder Gross Wt---Lbs 106
To Bullets 264lb
To Firelocks-9
Do Same -9
To Gun Barrils-7
To Militia Muskets-2
To Bayonets not in Repair-8
To Cartridge Boxes of Militia-16
Do of Comp ye[?] Worn out-8
To Deserters Coats-2
Do Vests-1
Do of Britches-1
Do of Hatts [?]-1
Do of Stocks do-1
Do of Blankits[Blankets]-8
To Baggs-14
To Flower Lib Wt 3857
To Beef Dried Lbs Wt 1383
To Hanged Porck Lib. Wt. 72 1/2
To pickling Tubs-13
of Brass Kittles-5
of Iron Do-3
of Horses Belonging to the publick-4
of Broad Hoes-4
of Spades-16
of Shovels-4
of Chissels-21
of Augers-16
of Gouges-5
of Broken Do-1
of Compasses-2
of two feet Rules-1
of Broken Do -2
of adzes-5
of Gimblets-5
of Hewing Axes-12
of Broken Do-1
Of Falling Do - 27
of Country made Do -14
of Whipsaws-4
of Crosscut Do-4
of Hand Do-5
of Claw Hammers-4
of Lathing Do-2
of Whipsaw Files-6
of Cross Cut do-1
of Handsaw Do -4
of Saw Sets-2
of Steal [Steel]-Lib Wt- 13 1/2
of Grind Stones-3
of Cordage in a Running Tackles 30 lb
of Hatchets-1
of Frying Pans -2
of Suits of Serjts Clothes-1
of Militia Swords-9
of Regimental Stockings 47 pairs
of Ladles--Worn-1
of illeg files illeg 2
of Corn in Store by Judg 1/2
of Capt illeg & Received of Do in hande of Lt] 22 Bush 60 Bushels
Note the Above Contains a True Coppy the Inventory of Stores by Capt Hog Deliveded as per my Rects [illeg] Bullitt"
[the origin of the tools listed above are on a seperate document in this packet titled "
Accot of Tools Recd for Building the fort on Roanoke"- for example "Tools Sent from Winchester by the Waggon" A few items appear on the second list that are not on the first, for example "Ditto from fo Wm...1 Grindstone 2 iron potts 2 brass Kettles 2 frying pans 2 pewter Tankards Iron Laddle ... 1 Bar of Steel"
[on reverse] Inventory of Stores at Vauses Fort no-date
(1757) George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence: Peter Hog to Thomas Bullitt, August 4, Inventory of Stores. August 4. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mgw442639/.
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1757 A Roll o fye Comp. of Late Capt. Hogs with Acct of theire State of Clothes Arms & c. Aug. 4
Name/Clothes of Compy/Arms of Do.
[Clothes of Compy]Coat/Vests/Brcs[Breeches]/hats/Shts[Shirts]/St-illeg[Stockings]/Shoes/[???likely Rowler Rollers/neckstocks]/Hav [haversacks]/Blankits/
[Arms] FireL/Bayo?/Cart B[?]
1. Jn. Johnston - Bayonet Strap wanting
8. Benja. Goss-Gun left by Maj. Lewis's order at Fort Dinwiddie
10. Moses [?] Burns - Gun lost when he deserted
11.David Tate -Blanket purchas'd by Capt Hog
13. Abm. Bledeso- no belt
15. Wm Blanton - no strap
26. Val [?] Mchiche [?illeg? Natl/Jas McBride???] - [Firelock] he brought from the Meddows & looks upon it as his own
29. And.w Fowler - Cartridge box & Bayonet lost on Sand creek
