Historical marker tells of bloody massacre at Fort Mims in 1813

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.”

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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.