Fort Hughes (Georgia) facts for kids
Fort Hughes was a small fort built in 1817 in what is now Bainbridge, Georgia. It was built during a time called the First Seminole War. The fort was located on a bluff next to the Flint River. Its main purpose was to help prevent fighting over land between the United States and Native American groups.
Why Was Fort Hughes Built?
In the early 1800s, there was a lot of disagreement about who owned the land between the Flint River and Florida. A battle had just happened nearby at Fowltown in November 1817. This fight was also about land ownership.
The U.S. government believed they owned these lands. They said the Lower Creek Indians had given the land to them in the Treaty of Fort Jackson. However, the Upper Creeks, also known as Red Stick Creeks or Mikasuki, did not agree. They said they were not part of that treaty. They also said the land never belonged to the Lower Creeks in the first place. Fort Hughes was built to try and stop more conflicts in this area.
What Did Fort Hughes Look Like?
Fort Hughes was a stockade that was 90 feet square. A stockade is a fence made of strong wooden posts. It had two blockhouses at opposite corners. A blockhouse is a small, strong fort with holes for shooting. Each blockhouse was 20 feet square.
The fort was named after a young fifer named Aaron Hughes. He was the only American soldier killed at the Battle of Fowltown. People believe his grave is somewhere at the fort site, but its exact location is unknown.
Lt. Col. Arbuckle chose the spot for the fort. He also oversaw its building. About 300 men worked for three days to build it.
The Attack and Abandonment
After the fort was finished around November 27, 1817, 40 soldiers stayed there. A group of at least 32 Red Stick Creeks attacked the fort. They were led by Peter Cook and a former marine lieutenant named Robert Ambrister. The attack happened sometime between December 7 and 15. The fort successfully defended itself and resisted the attack.
However, another event called the Scott massacre happened on November 30. This made it very hard to get supplies to Fort Hughes. A siege also began at the Battle of Ocheesee on December 15. Because of these problems, Lt. Col. Arbuckle ordered the fort to be left empty and abandoned on December 18, 1817. Fort Hughes was never used again after that.
