Historical marker at entrance to Fort Mims Historic Site. |
This week’s featured historical marker is the “FORT MIMS AND
THE CREEK INDIAN WAR, 1813-14” marker at the Fort Mims State Historic Site at
Tensaw in Baldwin County, Alabama. This marker is located at the entrance to
the historic site on Fort Mims Road, which is off Boatyard Road (County Road
80).
I’m not sure when this marker was erected, but it appears
relatively new. In the space on the sign where they erection year is indicated,
it reads “This site is owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission
and the Fort Mims Restoration Association.”
There’s text on both sides of this marker, and both sides
are different. What follows is the complete text from the marker.
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“FORT MIMS AND THE CREEK INDIAN WAR, 1813-14: In 1813,
people on the United States’ southwestern frontier were fearful. The Redstick
faction of the Creek Indian Nation opposed growing American influence in the
area and had voted for war. However, Creeks living in the Tensaw area had
intermarried with the European and American settlers and were close allies.
“Early in the summer, local American militia and allied
Creeks attacked a group of Redsticks at Burn Corn Creek. Tensions grew and many
families along the Tensaw, Alabama and Tombigbee rivers took refuge in quickly
fortified sites.
“On this site they built a stockade around Samuel Mims’
plantation. Later, volunteer troops from Mississippi helped enlarge it. But as
weeks passed without an attack, the people of Fort Mims grew complacent.
(Continued on other side).”
“FORT MIMS AND THE CREEK INDIAN WAR, 1813-14 (Continued from
other side): At midday, August 30, about 700 Redstick warriors attacked the
fort. They entered through an open gate and fired into the fort through poorly
designed gunports. The commander, Major Daniel Beasely, died in the first wave,
but part-Creek Dixon Bailey rallied the defenders. The attack continued for
five hours and ended with more than 500 attackers and defenders dead, including
most of the women and children at the fort.
“News spread quickly throughout the South. Troops from
surrounding states and territories joined to crush the ‘Creek War’ by the
following summer. On Aug. 9, 1814, the defeated Creek leaders met at Fort
Jackson near Wetumpka and ceded 23 million acres of their land to the United
States.”
----- 0 -----
One of the highlights of the calendar each year at Fort Mims
is the annual reenactment of the Battle of Fort Mims. This year’s event will
mark the 201st anniversary of the battle and will be held on Aug. 30-31,
starting at 9 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m. each day. Reenactments of the Battle of
Burnt Corn Creek will begin at 11 a.m. and reenactments of the Battle of Fort
Mims will begin at 2 p.m.
In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about
another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading
audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me
to feature, let me know in the comments section below.
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