New Georgia's fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Georgia's Fort |
|
|---|---|
| east of Osawatomie, Kansas | |
| Type | partisan settler fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Southern partisans |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1856 |
| In use | summer 1856 |
| Materials | wood, earthwork |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Southern partisans |
New Georgia's Fort was a small fort built in 1856 in Miami County, Kansas. It was located southeast of Osawatomie, Kansas, near the Marais des Cygnes River. This fort was built during a time of conflict in Kansas Territory known as "Bleeding Kansas." This was when people fought over whether Kansas would allow slavery or be a free state.
A group of Southerners, possibly from Georgia, started a settlement called New Georgia. They built a blockhouse fort and began digging trenches for defense. However, the fort was destroyed before the trenches were finished. Some people living nearby claimed that the settlers at New Georgia caused trouble. But it's true that some settlers from both sides caused problems for their neighbors during this time.
Spying on the Fort
In July and August of 1856, two men named August Bondi and Dr. Rufus Gilpatrick secretly watched New Georgia's Fort. They were "Free-Staters," meaning they wanted Kansas to be a state where slavery was not allowed. Their spying helped them learn about the fort.
In August, the Free-Staters decided to act. They wanted to stop the groups who supported slavery in Kansas. New Georgia's Fort was one of four strongholds they planned to attack. It was the first of these forts to be taken by the Free-Staters.
Taking the Fort
On August 5, a group of Free-State men left Lawrence, Kansas, a town known for supporting the Free-State cause. They planned to take over New Georgia's Fort. It's not fully clear how they took the fort. Some reports say they fired a few shots before reaching it. The number of defenders at the fort is also debated, but there were likely around 100 men.
When the Free-Staters took the fort, the defenders ran away. They left behind many supplies, especially food. The Free-Staters loaded what they could into wagons. Then, they burned the fort and any supplies they couldn't carry. The Southerners who had been at New Georgia moved to Fort Saunders, another Southern stronghold. This fort was located southwest of Lawrence.
New Georgia's Fort was never rebuilt after it was burned.
