Camp Blount Historic Site

Camp Blount Historic Site. Tennessee’s War of 18 12 and Creek Wars Memorial. Camp Blount was the rendezvous point and mustering ground for thousands of Tennessee militia serving under Gen. Andrew Jackson in the War of 18 12 and the Creek War. The State of Tennessee has preserved this site as a memorial to Tennesseans who served in those wars., War of 18 12 and Creek War , The United States declared war against Great Britain in June 1812. Gen. Andrew Jackson wrote the Secetary of War in July 1813, "There can be no doubt but the Creeks and Lower Choctaws are excited to hostilities by the influence of the British." In September 1813, following the attack on Fort Mims, the United States declared war on the Red Stick faction of the Creek Nation. Jackson's larger and better-equipped army defeated them in almost every engagement. , The Creek War ended with Jackson's victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in March 1814. The treaty of Fort Jackson signed that August specified that the Creeks cede more than half of their land to the U.S. , Andrew Jackson-National Hero , After the Creek War ended, Gen. Andrew Jackson turned his attention to the British on the Gulf Coast. In November 1814, he marched his troops south to defend New Orleans from a British attack. A series of engagements culminated in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. Jackson's victory made him a national hero. He rode that wave of popularity to the White House in 1828. , The "Second War of Independence” changed how European powers viewed this country, and how we saw ourselves. The United States had proved it could defend itself. It proved that no matter what separated us from each other we were united as a nation. , Preserving Camp Blount , The historical significance of Camp Blount had been recognized for over a century, but the approach of the War of 18 12 Bicentennial sparked a renewed interest in permanently preserving the site. The Camp Blount Bicentennial Committee in Fayetteville worked to raise public awareness of the site's important place in Tennessee history through a living history event in 2013, and also by raising funds to be used for the eventual purchase of the Camp Blount site. , In 2015 the Camp Blount site was acquired by the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Tennessee Wars Commission using funds from a special appropriation and matching funds from the State Lands Acquisition Fund of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Additional funding for the preservation of Camps Blount was also generously donated by many private individuals and corporations. The City of Fayetteville manages and maintains Camp Blount Historic Site through an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission. , Inset text: Camp Blount was one of the earliest and by far the largest muster site for "Tennessee Volunteers during the War of 18 12 and the Creek War; as such it helped Tennessee earn its official nickname "The Volunteer State."