Virginia Review of Asian Studies

Volume 17 (2015): 213-220

Wang: Franklin Wall

DEFENDING THE AMERICAN COLONIES: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S GREAT WALL, 1756-1776

Dave Wang

St. John’s University

During the American Colonial Era, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin borrowed many positive elements from Chinese civilization to spur the development of his fledging nation. For instance, Franklin attempted to spread Confucian moral philosophy as well as Chinese silk technology among the colonies. However, it may come as a surprise that Franklin also drew inspiration from Chinese defensive strategy.

Franklin turned to Chinese military strategy immediately following the beginning of the American Revolution, in which the thirteen colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. The newly-formed United States faced tremendous military pressure, for Great Britain had mobilized its considerable military to suppress the rebellion. The Founding Fathers were faced with the seemingly impossible task of protecting the nascent nation.

During this time, Franklin suggested that the colonies build a great wall, similar to that of China.[1]This was not the first time Franklin expressed his desire tomodel the colonies’ defensive strategy after the way the Chinese defended their territory. In fact, sixteen years before the start of the American Revolution, Franklin suggested before the British Parliament that the best means to protect the colonists’ interests was to construct a great wall like that of China. In 1760, Franklin stated:

“The second kind of security—A security of our planters from the inroads of savages, and the murders committed by them—will not be obtained by such forts, unless they were connected by a wall like that of China, from one end of our settlements to the other.” [2]

Franklin often applied practical and valuable elements from Chinese civilization in his effort to build a flourishing new society in North America.[3]Given Franklin’s propensity to often draw insight from Chinese civilization, it is unsurprising that he turned to Chinese military strategy in a time of need. However, Franklin’s recommendation of a great wall raises several important questions, the most important of which being why Franklin thought such a proposal was necessary. This essay will address this question, as well as the historical context behind Franklin’s plan.

Building a Line of Forts

The eighteenth century saw the rapid expansion of the British colonies in North America. In 1700, theCaucasian population in the English colonies was 250,000; just twenty years later, the population had almost doubled. While this period was one of rapid growth, it was also filled with various hardships and conflicts. The French and Indian War began in the Ohio River Valley in 1754, and Pennsylvania was under threat by the French Indians a year later.The leaders of Pennsylvania were split between two approaches on how to most effectively protect the colony. Some leaders advocated a policy of aggressive retaliation, believing that they should invade French Indian territory; the rest maintained a defensive “chain of forts” to safeguard the British colonists from attack. Franklin left us the vivid description of the debate:

“the Commissioners were of Oppinion, that the best means of Securing our Inhabitants, was to Carry the warr into the Enemys Country, and hunt them in all their Fishing, Hunting, Planting and dwelling places: But having sent for Croghan and others, in order to obtain their Oppinion; and they Advising that by a Chain of forts the Frontier should first be in some degree secured before we Acted Offencively, the same was agreed to, and the Building of Forts immediately set about, which took up much more time than was expected. [4]

Franklin did not agree with bringing the war into Indian Territory. While Franklin sided with the second idea, he was not satisfied with the Chain of Forts; instead, he imagined a “line of forts.” The leader of Pennsylvania, Governor Harris, endorsed Franklin’s approach and entrusted him with the authority to make decisions on defensive affairs. In his autobiography, Franklin relayed the process through which his idea was approved:

While several companies in the city and country were forming, and learning their exercise, the Governor prevail’d with me to take Charge of our Northwestern Frontier, which was infested by the Enemy, and provide for the Defence of the Inhabitants by raising Troops, and building a Line of Forts.[5]

Realizing the speed with which he must implement his strategy, Franklin immediately rushed to the front.He was to build a line of forts between the Delaware and Sesquehama Rivers. Along the Blue Mountains, some forts had already been built to defend the colonies. As the commander for defense, Franklin envisioned connecting these forts together to form a barrier between the French Indians and the British. However, it was impossible for him to establish a new line of forts with the French Indians rapidly approaching.

Pressed for time, Franklin decided to “execute more speedily the first Design of erecting a Fort near Gnadenhutten.” So Benjamin Franklin builds Fort Allen - Col. Franklin was appointed to take charge of the frontier defenses early in December, 1755, and he lost no time in undertaking the work, arriving at Bethlehem upon the 18th of that month, with Commissioners Hamilton and Fox. With them came Capt. Trump's company of fifty men from Bucks County, whose "arms, ammunition, and blankets, and a hogshead of rum for their use, had been forwarded to Easton in advon January 14, 1756, Franklin arrived with over 200 men in force to the devastated New GnadenHuetten settlement to build Fort Allen, the first of his defensive structures. With this force, Franklin hoped to complete construction within three weeks. Upon his arrival at New Gnadenhutten, he expressed his optimism to his wife, Daborah: “I hope in a Fortnight or three Weeks, God willing, to see the intended Line of Forts finished.”[6]

By January 26, Franklin had almost finished the construction of Fort Allen. He relayed this progress in his letter to Samual Rhode (1711-1784)[7]:

We have built one pretty strong Fort, and by the End of next Week, or in ten Days, hope to finish two more, one on each side of this, and at 15 Miles Distance. These I suppose will compleat the projected Line from Delaware to Susquehanah.[8]

In order to “complete the Projected Line,” Franklin would have to build two more forts. After he finalized construction of Fort Allen, Franklin sent his troops to build Fort Norris and Fort Franklin. Therefore, as soon as Capt. Hays returns with the Convoy of Stores and Provisions, Franklin decided to “send Orndt and Hays to Haeds to join Capt. Trump in erecting the middle Fort there.”[9] He reasoned “With those two Forts may be finished and the Line of Forts compleated and garrisoned, the Rangers in Motion, and the internal Guards and Watches disbanded, as well as some other Companies; unless they are permitted and encouraged to go after the Enemy to Sasquehannah.”[10]

Line of Forts--the Defending line after Franklin erected the three forts--Fort Franklin, Fort Allen and Fort Norris.

After Franklin erected the three forts between the Susquehenna and Delaware Rivers, he effectively created a line of forts andstrengthened the defensive fortifications.Franklin believed:

the Frontier of this Province is now in a better State of Defence than that of any other Colony on the Continent, being guarded by a Line of Forts at no great Distance from each other, all strongly garrisoned;[11]

After Franklin finished construction on Forts Allen, Norris, and Franklin, both he and the governor realized that it was no longer necessary for Franklin to remain there.[12] And so, Franklin left Fort Allen after entrustingits defense to Colonel Clapham, a man skilled in military affairs.

Franklin believed that as soon his Line of Forts was completed,the people in the area “may be secur’d”. He assured the governor,

I hope to get this done as soon, having more Tools; tho’ at this Season it seems to be fighting against Nature. But I imagine ’tis absolutely necessary to get the Ranging Line of Forts compleated, that the People may be secur’d as soon as possible in their Habitations, and the internal Guards and Companies dismiss’d, otherwise the Expence and Loss to the Province will be intolerable.[13]

After leaving the front line, Franklin was still concerned about Fort Allen. In February 1757, a year after the forts were completed, Franklin still gathered the information on Fort Allen. [14] In 1758, Franklin asked for information regarding the fort from Charles Thomson (1729-1824)[15], a supporter of Franklin’s policies in the French Indian War.

I have without asking your Leave, assumed the Task of informing what I know of Indian Affairs. Immediately upon Teedyuscung’s Return to Bethlehem from the last Conference I sent you; he sent Capt. Harrison his Sister’s Son and four other Indians up to Fort Allen, there to be joined by a Party of Capt. Ornd’s Men to scour the Frontiers and try if they could fall in with any of those who had been doing the Mischief.[16]

On January 4, 1760, shortly before he made his recommendation the construction of fortification similar to the Great Wall of China public, Franklin exchanged information on Fort Allen with Issac Norris (1671-1735).[17] The latter reported to him in the following:

Our Forces are quiet and General Stanwix continues at Pitsburg (as I hear laid up with a Fit of the Gout). Major Gates left the Troops there very lately well and in good health. At our last sitting in December our House reduced our Forces to 150 Men intended to Garrison Fort Augusta Littleton and Fort Allen with a Design to protect our Indian Trade.[18]

Within 19 days, Franklin had effectively established a line of forts in Lehigh Valley by constructing Forts Allen, Norris, and Franklin. This line was comparable to a great wall; indeed, many would regard this as Franklin’s version of the Great Wall of China. Franklin would later use his personal experience with his line to strengthen his argument for a great wall in the colonies.

From a “Line of Forts” to a Great Wall

The Great Wall of China, as the world's largest defensive structure, stretches over approximately 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles).During the Spring and Autumn Warring Periods (476-221 BC) in Chinese history, various kingdoms built fortifications at strategic points to protect their own territories. In 221 B.C., Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China, had sections of earlier fortifications extended to form the Great Wall, a coordinated defense system against raids by Hunic, Mongul, Turkic and other nomadic tribes from the north. Construction continued for more than a thousand years until the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 AD).In addition to its military influence, the Great Wall has played an important role in the evolution of Chinese civilization. Like a giant belt, the wall has held China together, unifying the country from past to present. The importance of unification has been a continuing theme since the construction of the Great Wall.

Certain people, both at the colonies in North American and in the English Parliament, believed that the colonies would be “sufficiently secure” if they would simply “raise English forts.” However, Franklin argued that more needed to be done. From his personal experiences constructing a line of fortifications in the Blue Mountain region, Franklin believed thatthe security of the colonists “will not be obtained by such forts” unless they should be connected into “a wall like that of China, from one end of our settlements to the other”. Franklin supported his assertion by drawing from the French and Indian War:

They (the Indians-author) go to war, as they call it, in small parties, from fifty men down to five. Their hunting life has made them acquainted with the whole country, and scarce any part of it is impracticable to such a party. They can travel thro’ the woods even by night, and know how to conceal their tracks. They pass easily between your forts undiscover’d; and privately approach the settlements of your frontier inhabitants. They need no convoys of provisions to follow them; for whether they are shifting from place to place in the woods, or lying in wait for an opportunity to strike a blow, every thicket and every stream furnishes so small a number with sufficient subsistence. When they have surpriz’d separately, and murder’d and scalp’d a dozen families, they are gone with inconceivable expedition thro’ unknown ways, and ’tis very rare that pursuers have any chance of coming up with them. In short, long experience has taught our planters, that they cannot rely upon forts as a security against Indians[19]

Franklin described the dangers faced by the colonists in order to alert the public to their need of a great wall. The French Indian strategies described by Franklin were exactly the same as those used by the nomadic intruders who plundered Chinese settlers. The patterns of warfare that the colonists confronted in North America were similar to those the Chinese faced before the completion of the Great Wall. Franklin’s recommendation demonstrated Franklin’s knowledge of Chinese history. He not only understood the wall’s function, but was also knowledgeable about its historical context, according to his correspondence with to John Batram, dated August 22, 1772.[20]

Sixteen years later, during the American Revolution, Franklin again suggested the building of a great wall to defend the colonies. Franklin wrote a letter to Chevalier de Kermorvan (1740-1817),[21] who arrived in North America in early June 1776. Serving in the Continental Army as an engineer, the Chevalier was involved with fortifications at Billingsport, below Philadelphia on the Delaware River, and at Perth Amboy, opposite Staten Island. Chevalierwas one of those who expressed criticism of others and exhibited an unrestrained ambition to replace the more senior engineers such as du Portail and ThadeuszKosciusszko. He "made himself 'disagreeable' to General Washington and his army staff with his criticism of all military operations" during the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign, and was ‘invited to leave” the headquarters of Washington's army. [22] Chevaliawent on to serve with Morgan's riflemen at Saratoga. However, he failed to attract the recognition that he believed was his due and returned to France in late 1778 or 1779.[23]

In his reply to Franklin, Chevalier de Kermorvan ridiculed that Franklin’s recommendation of a great wall was because he believedFranklin lacked full knowledge on the history of the Great Wall of China. In his letter, Kermorvan told Franklin that the great wall was useless, for the Great Wall of China “did not preserve this estre empire conquer by the Tartar ones.”[24]

It is unclear whether Franklin ever responded to the Chevalier. In actuality, the Chevalier’s knowledge was flawed. The Tartars, or the Manchu people, successfully entered the China proper because the Han Chinese who defended the wall willingly opened the doors for the invaders. Their invasion was not due to the ineffectiveness of the Great Wall itself. In any case, Franklin continued to regard the Great Wall of China as valuable to safeguarding American interests during the Revolution.

Conclusion

The above examination shows how Franklin used Chinese defensive strategies in his vision for a stronger and independent North America. During the sixteen years between Franklin’s first and second recommendations of constructing a great wall, North America underwent massive political changes. But despite the changing nature of American society, Franklin’s vision of a great wall stayed the same.

Franklin’s recommendation of a wall is another example of how he borrowed from Chinese civilization. Franklin’s recommendation was clearly based on his personal experiences with building a line of forts on the front. His recommendation of a great wall extended beyond mere curiosity: it stemmed from his personal experiences and the immediacy of foreign threats to the colonists. Franklin’s unwavering confidence in the great wall serves as an example of how he drew from Chinese civilization for insight in his efforts to build a great nation in America.

1

[1]To Benjamin Franklin from the Chevalier de Kermorvan, [12 August 1776?],” Founders Online, National Archives ( [last update: 2014-12-01]).

[2]Benjamin Franklin, The Interest of Great Britain Considered, With Regard to her Colonies, And the Acquisitions of Canada and Guadaloupe. To which are added, Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c. London: Printed for T. Becket, at Tully’s Head, near Surry-Street in the Strand. MDCCLX. (Yale University Library); draft (five scattered pages only): American Philosophical Society. It is available on line at