Fort Morris Historic Site
Encyclopedia
Fort Morris Historic Site is a Georgia state historic park in Liberty County
, Georgia in the United States. The fort is on a bend in the Medway River
and played an important role in the protection of southeast Georgia throughout various conflicts beginning in 1741 and ending in 1865 at the conclusion of the American Civil War
, including the French and Indian
and American Revolutionary War
s and War of 1812
. The historic site is 70 acres (28.3 ha) and sits at an elevation of 23 feet (7 m).
On May 13, 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as Fort Morris.
owned by Captain Mark Carr. Carr owned 500 acres (202.3 ha) of land in the area that was granted to him by the Georgia Trustees
. Carr was the commander of a company of marine rangers in the British Colonial Army
from 1732 - 1751. His plantation came under attack on March 18, 1741 by a group of Indians who were allies with the Spanish
colonial forces in Florida. Several soldiers defending the fort were killed in the raid and the contents of the fort and plantation were taken away in a large boat that belonged to the plantation.
The next fort at the site was constructed in 1756 at the encouragement of locals who were being attacked during uprising of Creek Indians in the era during the French and Indian War
. The fort was expanded in 1758 to provide protection for the new settlement of Sunbury which was built on land owned by Carr. The fort was a square with each side measuring 100 yard. Governor Henry Ellis
noted that the fort had a battery
of eight guns. By 1762 the fort had fallen into disrepair.
. The Continental Congress
authorized the construction of two forts in Georgia. One was to be built at Savannah
and the other at Sunbury. A company of artillery
consisting of fifty men was sent to the area. Fort Morris was built to the southeast of Sunbury and would be used first as a base for several campaigns to take Florida and then as a defensive position in defending Sunbury and points upriver.
The colonial forces were never able to establish control of Florida which had become a refuge for loyalists, Americans who chose to remain loyal to Great Britain
rather than joining in the revolution. Royal Governor Patrick Tonyn
of East Florida
sought to invade Georgian. The East Florida Rangers were loyalists from Georgia and the Carolinas
, Indian allies and the British 60th regiment was part of the plan to take Georgia from the Continental Army
. The East Florida Rangers, a naval fleet, and loyalists from New York
were quickly able to take Savannah in 1778. They next moved to Sunbury and Fort Morris. A small contingent of British soldiers attempted to take the fort on November 25, 1778. The 200 Americans at Fort Morris were led by Colonel John McIntosh. McIntosh defiantly shouted, "Come and take it!" after the British demanded the surrender of the fort. The British declined to attack and pulled back only to return in January with a larger force.
Fort Morris was attacked by the British on January 9, 1779. It was taken on the 10th. The number of lives lost in the siege is not well documented. Historians suppose that less than twelve American soldiers died and fewer British. The fort was renamed Fort George and was occupied by the British until September 1779 when the garrison at Fort George was ordered to Savannah to provide for its defense. After the fort was abandoned by the British it was taken again my the Colonial forces who found an empty fort with few, but damaged, guns left behind. They were only able to hold the fort for a month before it was retaken by the British in October. Fort Morris/Fort George remained under the control of British forces until 1782.
. Fort Defiance was constructed on the site of the former Fort Morris in 1814. Construction of the fort was not completed prior to the end of the war and it was left unfinished.
. A small group of Confederate soldiers were stationed at Sunbury and may have used the fort. General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea
brought an influx of Union soldiers to the area. They removed some cannons from the fort in 1864 to be taken to Union controlled forts on the Atlantic coast
.
Three historic interpretive events are held at the park. A Labor Day
celebration includes tours given by guides in historic recreations of military uniforms and musket
and cannon
firings. A re-enactment of Colonel McIntosh's 1778 stand takes place in November. The re-enactment includes firings of weapons and a skirmish. A Colonial Christmas
is celebrated at the fort with colonial area treats, music and bonfire.
Park facilities include a visitor's center with a film and exhibits, a nature trail and picnic areas. The Pioneer Campground is open to groups. A one mile nature trail provides visitors with a glimpse of the wildlife and plants of the area.
Liberty County, Georgia
Liberty County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 61,610. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 60,503...
, Georgia in the United States. The fort is on a bend in the Medway River
Medway River (Georgia)
The Medway River is an tidal river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is formed by the confluence of the Laurel View River with the smaller Belfast and Tivoli rivers, all three of which are tidal. It empties into St. Catherines Sound, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
and played an important role in the protection of southeast Georgia throughout various conflicts beginning in 1741 and ending in 1865 at the conclusion of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, including the French and Indian
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
s and War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The historic site is 70 acres (28.3 ha) and sits at an elevation of 23 feet (7 m).
On May 13, 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Fort Morris.
French and Indian War
The first fort built at Fort Morris Historic Site was constructed in 1741 to protect a plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owned by Captain Mark Carr. Carr owned 500 acres (202.3 ha) of land in the area that was granted to him by the Georgia Trustees
Trustee Georgia
Trustee Georgia is the name of the period covering the first twenty years of Georgia history, from 1732–1752, because during that time the English Province of Georgia was governed by a Board of Trustees. England's King George II, for whom the colony was named, signed a charter establishing the...
. Carr was the commander of a company of marine rangers in the British Colonial Army
History of the British Army
The history of the British Army spans over three and a half centuries and numerous European wars, colonial wars and world wars. From the early 19th century until 1914, the United Kingdom was the greatest economic and imperial power in the world, and although this dominance was principally achieved...
from 1732 - 1751. His plantation came under attack on March 18, 1741 by a group of Indians who were allies with the Spanish
Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
colonial forces in Florida. Several soldiers defending the fort were killed in the raid and the contents of the fort and plantation were taken away in a large boat that belonged to the plantation.
The next fort at the site was constructed in 1756 at the encouragement of locals who were being attacked during uprising of Creek Indians in the era during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. The fort was expanded in 1758 to provide protection for the new settlement of Sunbury which was built on land owned by Carr. The fort was a square with each side measuring 100 yard. Governor Henry Ellis
Henry Ellis (governor)
Henry Ellis was an explorer, author, and a colonial governor of Georgia.Ellis was born in County Monaghan, Ireland. He was educated in law at the Temple Church in London. In May 1746, he went out as agent of a company for the discovery of the Northwest Passage...
noted that the fort had a battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of eight guns. By 1762 the fort had fallen into disrepair.
American Revolution
The need to defend the Medway River and Sunbury rose again at the outset of the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
authorized the construction of two forts in Georgia. One was to be built at Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
and the other at Sunbury. A company of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
consisting of fifty men was sent to the area. Fort Morris was built to the southeast of Sunbury and would be used first as a base for several campaigns to take Florida and then as a defensive position in defending Sunbury and points upriver.
The colonial forces were never able to establish control of Florida which had become a refuge for loyalists, Americans who chose to remain loyal to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
rather than joining in the revolution. Royal Governor Patrick Tonyn
Patrick Tonyn
Patrick Tonyn was a British General who served as the second colonial governor of East Florida from 1775 to 1783.Tonyn was from a military background. His father, Charles Tonyn, was a Colonel in the 6th Inniskillen Dragoons...
of East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
sought to invade Georgian. The East Florida Rangers were loyalists from Georgia and the Carolinas
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
, Indian allies and the British 60th regiment was part of the plan to take Georgia from the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. The East Florida Rangers, a naval fleet, and loyalists from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
were quickly able to take Savannah in 1778. They next moved to Sunbury and Fort Morris. A small contingent of British soldiers attempted to take the fort on November 25, 1778. The 200 Americans at Fort Morris were led by Colonel John McIntosh. McIntosh defiantly shouted, "Come and take it!" after the British demanded the surrender of the fort. The British declined to attack and pulled back only to return in January with a larger force.
Fort Morris was attacked by the British on January 9, 1779. It was taken on the 10th. The number of lives lost in the siege is not well documented. Historians suppose that less than twelve American soldiers died and fewer British. The fort was renamed Fort George and was occupied by the British until September 1779 when the garrison at Fort George was ordered to Savannah to provide for its defense. After the fort was abandoned by the British it was taken again my the Colonial forces who found an empty fort with few, but damaged, guns left behind. They were only able to hold the fort for a month before it was retaken by the British in October. Fort Morris/Fort George remained under the control of British forces until 1782.
War of 1812
The fort fell into disrepair once again in the years following the Revolution. The need to defend Sunbury and the river rose again with the outset of the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Fort Defiance was constructed on the site of the former Fort Morris in 1814. Construction of the fort was not completed prior to the end of the war and it was left unfinished.
American Civil War
Fort Morris and Sunbury played a minor role in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. A small group of Confederate soldiers were stationed at Sunbury and may have used the fort. General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
brought an influx of Union soldiers to the area. They removed some cannons from the fort in 1864 to be taken to Union controlled forts on the Atlantic coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Park
Fort Morris Historic Site is owned by the state of Georgia and preserves the historical remains of the various forts that were once on the site. Earthworks are still standing at the park and show the size of the fort that once defended the Medway River.Three historic interpretive events are held at the park. A Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
celebration includes tours given by guides in historic recreations of military uniforms and musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
and cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
firings. A re-enactment of Colonel McIntosh's 1778 stand takes place in November. The re-enactment includes firings of weapons and a skirmish. A Colonial Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
is celebrated at the fort with colonial area treats, music and bonfire.
Park facilities include a visitor's center with a film and exhibits, a nature trail and picnic areas. The Pioneer Campground is open to groups. A one mile nature trail provides visitors with a glimpse of the wildlife and plants of the area.