Frederic A. Godcharles, born in Northumberland Pennsylvania, was a politician, historian, and author, who served as a soldier in both the Spanish American Word, and World War I. He served as Pennsylvania State Librarian and Director of the State Museum of Pennsylvania from 1927 to 1931

In 1920, Godcharles was living in Milton, Pennsylvania working as the editor of a weekly newspaper. In 1924, Daily Stories of Pennsylvania, which appeared in newspaper columns across the state, was published in book form. His August 1^st story describes the attack on Fort Granville, near the present site of Lewistown, Mifflin County. 

French and Indians Attack and Burn Fort Granville, August 1, 1756

Fort Granville was about one mile west of the present town of Lewistown, immediately on the north bank of the Juniata River and westward of the mouth of the Kishcoquillas Creek about one mile. There was a spring in the fort's enclosure which was destroyed when the canal was dug at that place. No other evidences of this fort are seen today.

This was one of a chain of forts erected on the west side of the Susquehanna. Fort Shirley, at Aughwick, was fifteen miles southwest, and Fort Patterson, at Mexico, was fifteen miles northeast. The site commanded a narrow pass where the Juniata falls through the mountains; where a few men could hold it against a stronger enemy, as the rocks were high on each bank and extended six miles, so that the enemy could be easily detected advancing from either direction. When the stockade was completed, it was garrisoned by a company of enlisted men, under regularly commissioned officers. George Croghan,

the Indian trader, was directed to build the fort as is shown by a letter written by Captain Elisha Salter, dated Carlisle, April 4, 1756. The attack was made upon Fort Granville during the harvest of 1756. The garrison at that time was commanded by Lieutenant Edward Armstrong, brother of General John Armstrong, who destroyed Kittanning. The Indians had been lurking about the stockade some time and knowing that the garrison was not strong, sixty of them appeared before the fort, July 22, and challenged the garrison to fight, which was declined by the commander on account of the weakness of his force. The Indians fired at one of the soldiers who was outside the stockade, but he succeeded in getting safely inside. The Indians divided their force into smaller parties, one attacked the Baskins plantation, near the Juniata, where they murdered Baskins, burned his house, and carried off his wife and children; another party made Hugh Cornell and his family prisoners.

On the morning of July 30, Captain Edward Ward marched from Fort Granville, with a detachment destined for Tuscarora Valley, where they were needed to protect the settlers while harvesting their grain. The few remaining in defense of the post were commanded by Lieutenant Armstrong.

Soon after the departure of Captain Ward's detail, the fort was suddenly surrounded by a hostile force of fifty French and a hundred Indians, who immediately began a fierce attack, which they continued through the afternoon and night, but without inflicting much damage. About midnight the enemy got below the bank of the river, and by a deep ravine reached to within twelve or fifteen yards of the fort, and from that secure position were able to set fire to the logs of the fort, burning out a large hole, through which the Indians fired on the defenders as they fought the flames. Lieutenant Armstrong and one private soldier were killed and three wounded.

The French commander ordered a suspension of hostilities, and demanded the surrender of the fort and garrison, promising to spare their lives if the demands was accepted. Upon promise of quarter, a man named John Turner, previously a resident of Buffalo Valley, opened the gates and the besiegers at once entered and took possession. There was no commissioned officer to assume command and Turner acted on his own initiative, as was afterwards explained by a prisoner who survived. The French and Indians captured twenty-two men, three women and a number of children. The fort was then burned by Chief Jacobs, on the order of the French officer in command. The prisoners were lined up and driven by the Indians, each soldier carrying a heavy portion of the plunder secured in the fort, and in the several raids made on the settlers' homes.

The march to Kittanning was most terrible, the prisoners were whipped and punished when fatigue caused them to lag behind. When the party arrived at Kittanning, all the prisoners were cruelly treated, and Turner, the man who opened the gates of the fort to the savages, suffered the torture of being burned to death at the stake.

The destruction of Fort Granville spread terror among the settlers west of the Susquehanna and they abandoned their settlements and fled in great haste to Fort Augusta and Carlisle. This attack on Fort Granville resulted in the successful expedition of Col. John Armstrong against the Indians at Kittanning, where the English not only gained a signal victory, but the savages were taught a lesson which they ever remembered.