Editing Fort Meigs (section)

== Historical Background ==

* '''Construction date:''' Ground broken February 2, 1813.
* '''Original purpose:''' A defensive fortification built under order of General William Henry Harrison as a response to British attacks in the Northwest Territory during the War of 1812.
* '''Notable events:'''
**First Siege (May 1–5, 1813): British forces under General Henry Proctor bombarded the fort. Nearly 600 men were killed on May 5, the bloodiest day of the siege. The British withdrew after several days.
**Second Siege (July 1813): British and Native American forces attempted to lure American troops into an ambush using a staged battle. A thunderstorm forced the British withdrawal.
**Second Fort Meigs: After the second siege, the original fort was dismantled and rebuilt as a smaller supply depot, guarded by 100 Ohio militiamen until the end of the war.
* '''Later history:'''
** The fort’s land changed hands several times.
** A major reconstruction occurred in the 1970s, followed by additional reconstruction efforts in the early 2000s.
** The site now functions as a historic and educational center interpreting the War of 1812.
* '''Additional historical context:'''
** The grounds also contain prehistoric Native American mounds.
** Unmarked mass burials of American soldiers are believed to be scattered across the area, including “Kentucky Hill,” where militiamen who died in Dudley’s Massacre were reportedly interred.