Battle of Fowltown facts for kids

Fowltown was a village where a group of Native Americans, called the Mikasuki people, lived. They were led by a chief named Neamathla. This village was near what is now Albany, Georgia.

The Mikasuki people had to move their village, Fowltown, four different times in just three years. Each time, they were forced to leave their homes.

Where Was Fowltown?

The village of Fowltown existed in several places. Each location was home to the same Mikasuki group led by Chief Neamathla.

First Fowltown Village

The first and largest Fowltown was in southwest Georgia. It was located on the southeastern bank of the Flint River (Georgia). This was close to where the Flint River joins the Chattahoochee River to form the Apalachicola River. Today, this area is known as Decatur County, Georgia.

People from Europe started writing about this village in the late 1700s. The name "Fowltown" comes from the Hitchiti language words Tutakosi Talofa, which mean 'Chicken Town' or 'Fowl Town'. The village was emptied out between 1813 and 1814. In 1799, about 59 people lived there. By 1813, the population had grown to several hundred.

Second Fowltown Village

The second Fowltown existed from 1814 to 1816. It was located in what was then Spanish Florida. This village was on the west bank of the Chattahoochee River. It was across from a place called Tocktoethla, which is now in Jackson County, Florida.

Third Fowltown Village

The third Fowltown was established in 1816. It was also on the south bank of the Flint River, about four miles southwest of modern Bainbridge, Georgia. This location was next to Fowltown Swamp, also in Decatur County, Georgia.

The Battle of Fowltown

This third location was where the Battle of Fowltown happened. This battle was important because of what it represented, even though it was a small fight. Chief Neamathla and the commander of Fort Scott had a disagreement. They argued over who owned the land on the southeastern side of the Flint River. Chief Neamathla said the Mikasuki people had the right to the land.

The land in southern Georgia had been given away by a group called the Red Sticks in the Treaty of Fort Jackson. However, the Mikasuki people did not see themselves as part of the Creek nation, which the Red Sticks belonged to. Because they didn't sign the treaty, the Mikasuki felt they were not bound by it. They did not believe the Creek people had the right to give away Mikasuki land.

In November 1817, General Gaines sent 250 soldiers to destroy Fowltown and capture Chief Neamathla. The Mikasuki people fought back and stopped the first attack. A few days later, a larger group of U.S. soldiers attacked again. This time, the Mikasuki were forced to leave their village and hide in the nearby swamp. They had to abandon their land and move further south. Chief Neamathla was not captured.

Some historians believe this attack on Fowltown in 1817 was the start of the First Seminole War. This battle happened just before another event called the Scott Massacre. David Brydie Mitchell, who was the former governor of Georgia and an agent for the Creek people, also reported to Congress that the attack on Fowltown began the First Seminole War.

Fourth Fowltown Village

The final Fowltown village was also in Spanish Florida. It was located on the eastern shore of Lake Miccosukee. Today, this area is in Jefferson County, Florida.