Fort Scott (Flint River, Georgia) facts for kids

Fort Scott was a military fort built in 1816. It was located in the southwest corner of Georgia. The fort was on the west bank of the Flint River, right where it joins the Chattahoochee River. Together, these rivers form the Apalachicola River.

The fort was named after Lieutenant Richard W. Scott. He was killed in an attack in 1817, even though he never visited the fort. Fort Scott took the place of an older, smaller fort called Camp Crawford. The need for a fort like this became clear during the War of 1812. The British had built two forts on the Apalachicola River in 1814. One was strong, at Prospect Bluff, and a smaller one was at the river meeting point. These forts were in Spanish Florida, but Spain didn't have the resources to control them.

The Negro Fort (1816)

When the War of 1812 ended in 1815, the British left one of their forts behind. It was soon called the Negro Fort. They left all its weapons and supplies with the black troops from the Corps of Colonial Marines who chose to stay. Around this fort, a large community grew. It included runaway enslaved people, Red Stick Creeks (some forced from their homes), and a few white traders.

The existence of the Negro Fort worried plantation owners in Georgia. They feared it would encourage their enslaved people to run away. It was known as a safe place for runaway slaves from far away. Attacks from Spanish Florida, encouraging enslaved people to seek freedom, were common.

The only way to supply Fort Scott was by river. Bringing supplies by land through the wilderness was not possible. The Apalachicola River was used instead. The Americans realized it would be very hard to attack the Negro Fort by land. It was built in an excellent location.

The U.S. needed large cannons to destroy the Negro Fort. These cannons had to be brought by boat. So, U.S. gunboats were sent for. Also, supply boats going to Fort Scott had to pass right in front of the Negro Fort. When these boats were fired upon, it gave the U.S. a reason to attack. U.S. forces attacked and destroyed the fort in the Battle of Negro Fort in 1816. This battle is sometimes called the first battle of the Seminole Wars.

Fort Scott Abandoned and Rebuilt (1816–1817)

After the Negro Fort was destroyed in August 1816, Fort Scott seemed unnecessary. It was abandoned in November 1816. Soon after, Red Stick warriors burned the fort to the ground.

However, the U.S. Army decided to rebuild it. Captain Samuel Donoho started rebuilding in June 1817. Major David E. Twiggs and his company joined him in July. Protection was still needed along the U.S.–Florida border. Attacks were regularly launched into Georgia from Spanish Florida by Red Sticks, other Seminoles, and maroons (escaped enslaved people). Fort Scott remained staffed until Florida became a U.S. territory in November 1821. It was a very large fort, designed to hold many U.S. troops. It served as the main supply base during the First Seminole War.

Battle of Fowltown (1817)

Fort Scott was the base for the Battle of Fowltown. This battle is also considered by some to be the first battle of the Seminole Wars. The Red Stick Chief Neamathla visited Major Twiggs soon after he arrived. He warned Twiggs not to cross the Flint River. Neamathla said the land south of the river belonged to his people, the Mikasuki Creeks. They had not agreed to the Treaty of Fort Jackson, which gave this land to the United States. They believed the Flint River was the border between the U.S. and Spanish Florida.

The Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun, ordered General Gaines to remove Neamathla and his followers from this land. General Gaines arrived at Fort Scott on November 19, 1817. He ordered Major Twiggs to go to Fowltown and bring back Neamathla. Twiggs left on November 20 and reached Fowltown the next morning. Shots were exchanged, which some call the first shots of the Seminole War. The Americans did not capture Neamathla, but his tribe left the land. Another fight happened on November 23. A small fort called Fort Hughes was built near Fowltown.

Scott Massacre (November 1817)

A few days later, the Scott Massacre happened. This was an attack by the Red Sticks on a boat carrying Lieutenant Richard W. Scott. The boat was coming up the Apalachicola River towards Camp Crawford. Only 7 of the 45 people on the boat survived. News of this attack was widely reported in U.S. newspapers. It led President James Monroe to order General Andrew Jackson to "punish" the Red Sticks. This order applied whether they were in U.S. territory or Florida. The Camp, which Lieutenant Scott never visited, was renamed Fort Scott in his honor. This event also helped start the First Seminole War.

Battle of Ocheesee and Siege (December 1817–March 1818)

On December 15, the Battle of Ocheesee took place. Josiah Francis (Francis the Prophet), an ally of Neamathla, managed to trap a supply convoy. This convoy was heading up the Apalachicola River for Fort Gaines and Fort Scott. Warriors on both sides of the river fired at the boats at the same time. The sailors could not show themselves to steer the boats. The siege lasted until mid-March 1818. It was broken when Andrew Jackson marched south from Fort Gaines to Fort Scott. From there, he went to the former Negro Fort site. He ordered Fort Gadsden to be built there.

Second Abandonment of Fort Scott (1821)

Both Fort Scott and Fort Gadsden were expensive to supply. Many soldiers got sick from diseases like malaria and yellow fever. In 1820, 769 out of 780 soldiers at Fort Scott were ill. Soldiers thought Fort Scott was the deadliest military post in the country because of all the illnesses and deaths. The causes of these diseases, spread by mosquitoes, were not known until much later. Sending sick soldiers to Fort Gadsden actually spread the diseases more. Fort Scott was finally emptied and abandoned on September 27–28, 1821. This was the month the treaty making Florida a U.S. territory took effect.

The original site of Fort Scott is now underwater, beneath the man-made Lake Seminole.