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Near Stockton in Baldwin County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
 

Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14

 
 
Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker (Front) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
1. Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker (Front)
Inscription.
Front:
In 1813, people on the United State’s 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 Burnt 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’s plantation. Later, volunteer troops from Mississippi helped enlarge it. But as weeks passed without an attack, the people at Fort Mims grew complacent.
(Continued on other side)
Reverse:
(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 gun ports. 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
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South. Troops from surrounding states and territories joined to crush the “Creek War” by the following summer. On August 9, 1814, the defeated Creek leaders met at Fort Jackson near Wetumpka and ceded 23 million acres of their land to the United States.

This site is owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Fort Mims Restoration Association.
 
Erected by Alabama Historical Commission.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and CastlesNative AmericansSettlements & SettlersWars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1813.
 
Location. 31° 10.79′ N, 87° 50.271′ W. Marker is near Stockton, Alabama, in Baldwin County. Marker is on Fort Mims Road north of Boatyard Road (County Route 80), on the right. Marker is located on the end of Fort Mims Road at the entrance to the Fort Mims Historical Site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stockton AL 36579, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Fort Mims Massacre (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Mims (approx. ¼ mile away); Ephraim Kirby's Grave (approx. 10½ miles away); Fort Stoddert
Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker (Reverse) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
2. Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker (Reverse)
(approx. 10½ miles away); Old Military Road and Old Federal Road (approx. 11.2 miles away); Mt. Nebo Death Masks (approx. 11.7 miles away); Historic Stockton / Old Schoolyard Park (approx. 11.7 miles away); Stockton Presbyterian Church (approx. 12.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Stockton.
 
Also see . . .  Fort Mims Restoration Association website. (Submitted on June 30, 2013, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama.)
 
Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
3. Fort Mims And The Creek Indian War, 1813-14 Marker
Monument Placed by the Fort Mims D.A.R in Memory to those who died at Fort Mims on August 30, 1813. image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
4. Monument Placed by the Fort Mims D.A.R in Memory to those who died at Fort Mims on August 30, 1813.
The Plan of Fort Mims image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
5. The Plan of Fort Mims

Copied Excerpt:
This plan of Fort Mims was found among the manuscripts of General Claiborne, and first published by Pickett in his History of Alabama, ii., 265. It may also be found in Claiborne's Life and Times of General Same Dale, page 112,
The following is an explanation of the reference figures: 1. Blockhouse; 2. Pickets cut away by the Indians; 3. Guards station; 4. Guardhouse; 5. Western gate, but not up; 6. This gate was shut, but a hole was cut through by the Indians; 7. Captain Bailey's station; 8. Steadham's house; 9. Mrs. Dyer's house; 10. Kitchen; 11. Mim's house; 12. Randon's house; 13. Old gateway, open; 14. Ensign Chambliss' tent; 16. Randon's; 17. Captain Middleton's; 18. Captain Jack's station; 19. Portholes taken by Indians; 20. & 21. Portholes Taken by Indians; 22. Major Beasley's cabin; 23. Captain Jack's company; 24. Captain Middleton's company; 25. Where Beasley fell; 26 Eastern gate, where Indians entered.
The East Gate image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
6. The East Gate
The East Gate was constructed by the Militia to extend the fort's perimeter walls to accommodate their tenting area. Four guard were posted during the day and two at night. The gates were closed at night. It was alleged by one historian that recent rains caused sand to drift against the gates so that they could not close. Red Eagle (William Weatherford) scouted the stockade and determined the first assault would be to stampede the gate guards to gain assess into the fort.

From the surrounding forest the 800+ Creek warriors stampeded the East Gate. Hearing the war whoops, Major Beasley sounded the call to arms. Alas it was too late as he met the warriors at the gate and was immediately overcome by the hordes of club wielding warriors. He died at this location trying to defend the fort.
Inside View of the East Gate image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
7. Inside View of the East Gate
Dinner Bell Site image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
8. Dinner Bell Site
The traditional "Dinner Bell" was a primary form of communications for every prominent homestead. The bell was used to signal for distress, fire, and assembly. The bell was rung at noontime to call in the workers from the fields for lunch. The Creek Warriors careful planned their attack on Fort Mims precisely at noon during the meal time. Red Eagle and the Creek Warriors used the ringing of the dinner bell for their signal to attack the unsuspecting settlers in the compound. At noon the dinner bell was rung. The Creek Warriors waited in the surrounding wood for a few minutes afterword to ensure all the fort's occupants were inside. Red Eagle sounded the loud call of the eagle, an eerie, haunting screech that resonated throughout the area. On his signal, the Creek Warriors charged in a rush for the fort.
Early depiction of the battle at Fort Mims image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Unknown Artist
9. Early depiction of the battle at Fort Mims
Samuel Mim's House Site image. Click for full size.
Photographed By TRCP Alliance, June 22, 2013
10. Samuel Mim's House Site
At this location stood the residence of Samuel Mims According to a description presented to Congress, it was a frame construction with tow porches. Many of the fort's occupants took refuge her during the attack only to be trapped as the structure burned. The first burial party arriving after the battle found it impossible to count the number of dead in the house's ruins. Some of the victim's remains were found during the site excavation. The Fort Mims massacre is considered to be one of the most brutal and savage massacres that has ever occurred on American soil.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2013, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,275 times since then and 49 times this year. Last updated on April 22, 2018, by Daniel Eisenberg of Boca Raton, Florida. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 29, 2013, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama.   5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on June 30, 2013, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024