Fort Fayette: General James Wilkinson's 'Country Seat'

For a frontier town, Pittsburgh was already fairly industrialized by 1811. When the 4th Regiment of Infantry stopped there en route to Vincennes Indiana, ultimately to the Battle of Tippecanoe and to captivity following the Detroit campaign in 1812, both the ordinary soldiers and the officers and their wives were charmed by the town and regretted having to leave.

According to Musician Adam Walker:

At Pittsburgh we found excellent quarters, necessaries of all kinds, cheap and plenty--the inhabitants were kind, generous and hospitable-- they knew how to commiserate, and were happy in relieving the sufferings of the soldier; while we on our part were grateful for their favors, which we endeavored to merit by treating them with the respect due to good citizens. Our time here passed very agreeably for two or three weeks, at the expiration of which, we received orders to descend the Ohio river to Newport, Kentucky. On July 29, the regiment embarked on board ten long keel boats; each boat being sufficiently large to contain one company of men. With our colors flying and drums beating, we left the shore in regular order, and commenced our passage while the band, attached to the regiment, were chanting our favorite ditty of Yankee Doodle, amidst the cheers and acclamations of the generous citizens of Pittsburgh, assembled at the place of our embarkation. (Two Campaigns of the 4th United States Infantry Regiment, pp. 8-9)

While in town, the soldiers and unmarried company officers stayed at the Fort Fayette barracks, as did Colonel Boyd and most of his staff. Lydia Bacon, whose husband was serving as Regimental Quartermaster, stayed in a rented house with several other officers:

The military quarters are small and will not accommodate all our regiment. The Colonel resides with his staff at the quarters, with the exception of my husband, who prefers to live with his wife, the rest board or live in hired houses... We have plenty of servants, and those that are pretty fair, though all men. The military quarters here were built by General Wilkinson, and resemble an elegant country seat. In the rear of the house (which is both commodious and splendid), is a large garden arranged with much taste. All kinds of fruit trees, shrubbery and flowers charm the eye and please the palate, while the odors which perfume the air leave nothing which a refined taste could desire. A canal runs through this garden, over which is a Chinese bridge with seats around it. The Colonel has tea parties frequently, and entertains his company in the garden, while an excellent band at a distance and unseen discourses fine music. The whole appears like enchantment... Sometimes our band, in a boat, willl navigate each side of the village and send forth exquisite strains of music. (Biography of Mrs. Lydia Bacon, pp. 13-14)

A plan of Fort Fayette in 1800, showing a large area devoted to the garden.