The Fort.27s construction and demise Fort King George

coastal scouts hardened seamen barnwell had enlist him build fort king george while troops recovered illness in port royal.



panorama of fort king geoge. showing barracks , other facilities reconstructed @ historical site.

left no troops, colonel barnwell s option enlist coastal scouts , civilians him construct fort. coastal scouts hardened seamen organization dated way 18th century in south carolina. formed establish semblance of navy colony. role akin marines, patrol waterways in scout boats , down coast between beaufort , st. augustine, , engage enemy boats if necessary. charged task of provisioning outlying forts on frontier. many scouts may have been former pirates south carolina den many in 1680s , 1690s when colony started cracking down on piracy, arresting pirates , offering them clemency in exchange oath king , services in colony.☃☃ though may have been seamen, hardly @ following directions on land. barnwell complained bitterly in journal troubles them. referred them continually (sic) sotting , described them wild idle (sic) people highly disobedient. in 1 incident, during bout of drunkenness, 1 prankster scout picked barnwell , heaved him on shoulder pretending carry barnwell boat. instead, dropped colonel in water, forcing barnwell lie night in wet clothes on boat, barnwell later attributed sickness contracted. barnwell, ill-tempered, no doubt got revenge somehow, incident goes show there little formal discipline in wild frontiers of south carolina. barnwell needed scouts fort underway, , noted being highly prone toward dissension , possible mutiny. given proximity st. augustine , likeliness of desertion barnwell, no doubt, had quite bit more tolerant colonels dealing troops on front lines of europe.

colonel barnwell s 1721 drawing depicting fort s location on northern branch of altamaha river. in it, describes various geographical features of site.

though relationship rough, barnwell did manage gain progress during construction of fort summer in 1721. fort s blockhouse completed fall. men had go 3 miles (5 km) upriver find adequate cypress trees cut blockhouse s framework , siding. mutinied barnwell had offer pay, , rum rations, provide incentives men go out cut more trees. also, in addition these accomplishments, barnwell managed sound out of river , charted route down coast st. simons island. impressed obvious logistical advantage of island , decided propose moving fort there. repeatedly denied legislature due cost prohibitions.

john barnwell s 1722 drawing of route fort king george st. simons island. here barnwell wanted move fort king george in year. data on chart @ left navigational information

by 1722, independent company stationed @ fort king george. within year half of them had died, diseases such dysentery , malaria. fort s officers periodically intimated in letters men not motivated. had difficulty getting men tend lots, build fences in order entrap roaming cattle supplied troops , grow crops. lack of development made life more miserable. few soldiers deserted st. augustine. still, others stayed through death elements certainty. later year fort s guardhouse being called hospital treating sick .

some excitement did occur periodically. in 1722 indian agent theophilus hastings reported legislature 170 yamasee indians prepared attack fort king george. seems, indicated, spanish playing old game . apparently, presumed spanish inciting attack test fort s defensibility. unfortunately, records not indicate whether or not attack happened, however, if did fort must have survived unabated.

later on year, unexpected visitors arrived @ fort. company of switzers , swiss soldiers, had deserted settlement on mississippi river , had made way fort king george sought asylum. switzers under employ of french government in colony of louisiana. these men charged toilsome duty of digging canals , overworked , mistreated. reason desertion. indicates french quite aware of britain s occupation @ mouth of altamaha , apparently discussing openly among louisiana settlers. interestingly, though carolina officials having hard time getting much-needed recruits @ fort, replace dying soldiers, did not let switzers stay there. instead, allowed them disperse colony pleased . however, did request skilled switzers, 6 total, stay behind assist construction. 1 of them skilled artist , penned 1 of fort s descriptive drawings entitled, plan of fort king george @ allatamaha south carolina . drawing displays intentions fort triangular shaped structure 1 bastion jutting out on northwestern side, direction in fort attacked land. eastern , southern sides of fort protected natural wetlands making land assault directions impossible. also, fort designed include barracks, ninety feet long , fourteen feet wide, guardhouse, officers’ quarters, several indigenous huts, impressive parapet, house of office (privy), , dock scout boat, in addition blockhouse discussed previously.

in 1722, swiss soldier had deserted post in louisiana arrived @ fort king george. drew plan of fort south carolina. flag above switzer colors.

the spanish had been protesting british occupation of altamaha ever since fort king george first built. in 1724, spanish envoys came address grievances on construction of fort. however, not allowed enter fort king george because governor , commanders worried if enter , inspect, fort s security compromised. such, envoys diverted charlestown had express grievances. though governor francis nicholson welcomed them , treated them graciously, did not accept arguments , maintained right of british settle altamaha river region. spanish infuriated , on next several years intense game of diplomatic jousting ensued.

more drawings of fort indicate fort developing though hardships seemed abundant. 1726 drawing reveals fort fortified parapet that, in critical places, consisted of firing steps, firing wall held against breastwork made of earth, palisade fence, , moat. fronting river south, fort protected naval assault 9 cannon emplacements. each emplacement had six-pounder cannon mounted on it. also, several swivel guns positioned throughout fort, around gates. important, fort positioned on closed end of horseshoe-shaped bend in river. typical of time period, positioning prevented passing enemy ships convenient firing off broadsides on fort. instead, ships have approach fort bow (nose) first, making harder enemy sailors position boat sideways fire through cannon ports @ fort. fort appearances standard pallisado fort typical of type built on frontiers during time period. designed temporary until more substantial built. such forts, made earthen materials , indigenous wood, practical frontier defense materials relatively easy gather , transport site. also, these fortifications repaired if damaged, materials relatively available , indigenous area.

this 1726 drawing shows forts outerworks , armaments associated it.

in 1724, colonel barnwell died @ plantation in beaufort due failing health, brought on hardships during tenure @ fort. earlier, had been declared governor of territory in addition being fort s commander. though dreams of seeing south carolina bounded barrier of defensive settlements had been initiated, time of death reality of successful fruition seemed bleak. though dead, legacy lived on later through general james oglethorpe borrowed heavily colonel barnwell s ideas.

in late 1725 or 1726, fort burned under mysterious circumstances. suggested fort s reporting officer, capt. edward massey, men stationed there may have been responsible it, or @ least, did not rush put fires out in hopes destruction of fort (sic) should delivered miseries (sic) had long suffered. soldiers desperately wanted go home or anywhere fort king george, 3 days away beaufort. if case, wishes did not come true. fort ordered rebuilt, time inferior cypress deal planking. life did not improve.

finally, in 1727, british parliament ordered fort king george abandoned , independent company moved port royal, south carolina. in all, 1 hundred , forty soldiers , officers lost lives @ fort, diseases. fort s officer, lt. emmenes, writing justification of fort s evacuation, set unwholesome climate , ineffectiveness of fort s location. stated fort no more useful safety of colony if had been placed in japan. writing clear hint of indignation, massey complained poor provisions , indicated grave concern men may mutiny if have no hopes of being relieved. also, fort prone periodic flooding worsened conditions. yamasee indian raids still occurring along southern borders illustrating failure of fort king george s intent secure southern border.

six years after establishment fort abandoned 2 lookouts left behind. south carolina colonists , officials gravely disappointed , more alarmed diplomatic sensitivities had flared. until georgia settled, expansionists determined re-establish settlement on altamaha. 1730, issue of southern border defense had become more vexing , contentious one. around time, governor robert johnson ordered several towns settled along altamaha in order maintain britain s claim area. also, south carolina legislature relayed desires have fort or settlement built along altamaha. however, these measures never came fruition. demise of fort king george once again brought increase in anxieties on south carolina s security.

though outlook may have seemed disappointing, there few silver linings. fort king george did serve colony well, not effectiveness, because largely ineffective, taught british imperialists. first, hardships suffered company of invalids @ fort king george taught imperialists necessity of peopling altamaha young, tough, , hardy people. harsh, dangerous environment not tamed weak-of-heart or faint-in-design. settlers there have able withstand harsh seasoning period. also, being far removed civilization, altamaha settlers have thrifty, self-reliant, , industrious. furthermore, these people need incentives develop strong settlement , establish industry. secondly, diplomatic entanglements spanish on fort king george shifted focus away french , problems of western defense, , more toward defenses on southern frontier. such, there greater focus on protecting colony fortresses , settlements along coastal area, barrier islands , surrounding inlets. why general oglethorpe later borrowed barnwell s idea fort built on st. simons island, fort frederica, oglethorpe s military base, constructed in 1736.

the layout of frederica , town s fort, built in 1736. fort frederica served oglethorpe s military headquarters during stay in georgia.

additionally, added forts , settlements near skidaway island, near mouth of ogeechee river, near headwaters of altamaha, on cumberland island, , on amelia island. coastal defense system instrumental in eventual successful defense of georgia under spanish attack in 1740s. such, struggles , failures of fort king george showed future empire builders better way of defense, lending credit them heeding old adage, not learn history destined repeat it. oglethorpe , fellow georgians did not repeat mistakes made in handling of fort king george, though did largely stick similar plan of defense. however, plan implemented more effective, well-planned, , well-supported strategy.