Florida Forts

This is a book I no longer have and really wish I still did. Though with moving to Connecticut soon, maybe it doesn't matter so much. Anyway, this book by local author Alejandro De Quesada is an excellent guide to the forts of Florida. The book is arranged in time periods, from the earliest colonial settlements to the defensive sites of the Cold War. The book covers all existing forts and several forts that are long gone, with a fascinating historical text, along with descriptions and photos of the sites today. Several are National or State parks, some are cared for by other agencies, and some are simply neglected and left to the raveges of nature. This book is excellent for a history of the state or for someone wanting to see historic places in Florida. Also good because it has good information about topics that are otherwise hard to find, such as the Seminole Wars and the early colonial disputes. Overall and excellent book, highly reccomended for anyone living in or near Florida. It can be found on Amazon here.
A History of Florida Forts
Alejandro De Quesada
218 Pages
2006, History Press

San Marcos de Apalache

This is one of the most fascinating little known sites in the country. Located where the Wakulla and St Marks rivers converge near the Gulf Coast, this is the site of a fort owned by the Spanish, British, Muskogee, Confederates, and US. It's history begins earlier, though, with the doomed expedition of Panfilo de Navarez, who came north from Tampa in 1528. When he failed to find gold and riches, he built rafts near here to return to his ships, but the ships and two of the rafts were destroyed in a storm. After a long overland trek, only four men survived the ill-fated expedition. Hernando De Soto passed through here on a much more succesful expedition in 1539.
By 1679, the Spanish began construction on a wooden fort on this spot, the logs covered with lime to look like stone. This ruse only lasted three years before the fort was burned by pirates. It was not until 1718 that Captain Jose Primo de Ribera began to build another wooden fort.
Artist's concept of the early Spanish fort.
The first stone fort here was begun in 1739, but construction was slow, and it was only half finished when the fort was transferred to the British in 1763. By 1787 Spain occupied the fort again as a result of the Treaty of Paris ending the American Revolution. Seen here are the remains of the Spanish Bombproof, or magazine. It was built with limestone from about a mile downriver, and had four rooms with arched ceilings and strong doors. Its roof served as a firing position for troops on the north wall of the fort. Much of the stone fort was destroyed by a hurricane in 1851. Stones from the bombproof were used later to build a lighthouse and Marine hospital. When Confederates occupied the fort, they placed a battery of canon here.

This piece of mortar from the Spanish Bombproof shows the finger markings of a construction worker in the upper left corner. Someone also very obviously formed their name or initials with stone chips in the mortar.

This is the keystone from the Bombproof. The keystone was placed in the entrance arch of forts and magazines to hold the doorway together, and as a symbol that it is finished.

The original moat of the Spanish stone fort. In 1800, a former British officer, William Augustus Bowles, united groups of Creek and Seminole Indians into a nation they called Muskogee. This nation made a capital near modern tallahasee and eventually captured the fort here at San Marcos. Not long after, the fort was retaken by the Spanish and Bowles was taken as a prisoner to Havana, Cuba, where he died.

The remains here are what is left of the north wall of the Spanish fort. In 1817, prompted by Indian raids into Georgia, and by slaves running away to Spanish Florida, the United States began the First Seminole War. As part of this, Andrew Jackson was ordered to invade Spanish held Florida. In April 1818, Jackson siezed the lightly defended San Marcos, where he believed the Natives were getting war supplies. He wrote "To prevent the recurrence of so gross a violation of neutrality, and to exclude our savage enemies from so strong a hold as St Marks, I deem it expedient to garrison that fortress with American troops until the close of the present war. This measure is justifiable on the immutable priciple of self defense, and can not but be satisfactory, under existing circumstances, to his Catholic Majesty the King of Spain." In addition to attacking Spanish and Indians here, he found a Scottish agent, Alexander Arbuthnot, who he accused of selling arms to the Indians. Later in his campaign, he found another British agent named Robert Ambrister. Both men were given a military tribunal here, and were executed. Britain had serious discussions about war over the incident, but cooler heads prevailed. The US House of Representatives stated "The House of Representatives of the United States disapproves the proceedings in the trial and execution of Alexander Arbuthnot and Robert C. Armbrister. This House disapproves of the seizure of the post of St Marks and Pensacola, contrary to orders, and in violation of the Constitution." More importantly, as a result of Jackson's succesful campaign and Spain's weak control over Florida, the territory was sold to the United States in 1821.

In 1857-58, a Marine Hospital was built near the fort, using stones from the Spanish Bombproof. This facility provided care for local yellow fever victims. The modern park visitor center, seen here, is built on the foundation of the hospital.

In 1861, Confederate forces took control of the fort, renaming it Fort Ward. During the war, the river was blockaded by the Union Navy, but the local blockade runner The Spray was one of the most successful of the war, delivering salt as cargo. In 1864 a Union raid destroyed many nearby kettles and furnaces of salt. In 1865, a Union invasion was stalled by running aground while trying to avoid the fort. The soldiers disembarked the ships, and result was the Battle of Natural Bridge, that stopped the invasion. Seen here is the large earthen magazine built by the Confederates.
Looking down the Confederate magazine into the Spanish moat. The last soldiers to occupy the fort were Union Colored Infantry under Col Joseph Shaw. They left in 1866, and the fort became a part of history.

Here is the surviving portion of the out wall of the Spanish stone fort. In 1996, the State Park Service built a wooden covering to protect the wall from the river, which had been eroding it.
Here is a canon in the visitor center. Based on its condition I am guessing it is authentic, probably one of the Spanish canon by its design.

This appears to be a grave, located atop the Confederate magazine. I have no idea the story behind it. If anyone does, please tell me!
This cemetery is near the visitor center, and is where several unknown soldiers from Jackson's army are buried.

Marker at the cemetery

Marker for Luther Tucker, near the site of the original fort.

Marker at the original fort site

Marker in memory of Malee Francis, whose story can be read in depth here.

Odometer reading: 224.4

Burnt Fort

Ok, setting off on another Find a Grave adventure, I arrived here at the Burnt Fort Church in northwest Camden County. Turns out Burnt Fort had a pretty interesting history. Back before the Revolution, when Florida was Spanish territory, the area that is now south Georgia was considered "off limits" by both Britain and Spain, in order to avoid another war. At the time, Georgia' southern border was the Altamaha River, where Darien is, and Florida's northern border was the St John's River, where modern day Jacksonville is. In 1755, a man from Virginia by the name of Edmond Gray, came to Georgia and was elected to represent Augusta. He opposed the requirement of 50 acres of land for the franchise of land granting. He proposed that the property should be evaluated by its value, not merely its size. The proposal failed, and Gray took his followers to start the community called New Hanover on the Satilla River. The community began on the northern side of the river, in what is now Charlton County. Because the settlement was in neutral territory, they were not considered to be part of any colony, British or Spanish. Having loyalties to the British, the settlers wrote appeals to both Georgia and South Carolina, to be annexed by one of them. However, England would not recognize the settlement for fear of war with Spain. The Spanish offered to let the settlers move to the St John's River and establish trade with the Natives there. Gray informed Governor Ellis of Georgia of the offer, and Ellis, in turn gave license for them to trade with the Natives at there current location. Although he was rebuked by the GA Board of Trade, the clear violation of the neutral territory angered the Spanish, so they sent a company of soldiers to order them to leave New Hanover. Gray replied that they would do what their superiors told them to do. However, New Hanover was considered an embarassment to the British, and both Georgia and South Carolina commisioned representatives to order the settlers to leave. the representatives, James Edward Powell (GA) and Major Henry Hyrnes (SC) met at Savannah on Jan 26, 1759 and went to New Hanover. Gray was then ordered to leave in 28 days. Gray himself and Ephraim Alexander had been given another offer by the Spanish to set up a trading post on the St Marys River, and so intended to leave. Not all of the settlers were so willing. Because of this, Powell and Hyrnes were ordered to destroy the town, which they carried out. After this episode, the name of New Hanover disapeared, but the settlers did not. They stayed, and the name Burnt Fort began to be used.

The first evidence of a church at Burnt Fort is a deed from 1872, well after the community had become a great logging area. Though it is called several names through the years, it was a place where all denominations worshiped. It remained in use until 1947, when the community, and church attendance declined dramatically. the church was abandoned and by 1960 it had completey collapsed. In 1976, nearby residents decided to bring back the Burnt Fort Chapel, and on September 4, 1977 the newly re-built church opened.

Looking inside through the windows

This is Camden County's only remaining one-room school, located next to the Burnt Fort Chapel.
This is the Burnt Fort Cemetery

And here is my query, the Hopkins family. This one was really easy because of the small cemetery and large family marker. But due to the size of the cemetery, I decided to just photograph all the graves to add to the website. Because of that, I will not be adding them here as I have previously done. However, the cemetery can be found of Find a Grave here, and I have added all of them there. And just so you know, I will list the surnames I found and documented here:

Anderson, Bailey, Bedell, Brown, Buie, Carmichael, Chaney, Clemons, Collins, Comer, Crago, Cushing, Day, Deen, Drury, Eaton, Felder, Godley, Goodbread, Gray, Grissett, Harrell, Hedleston, Heddleton, Hopkins, Howard, Lang, Langlois, Littlefield, McClurd, Mercer, Miller, Nettles, O'Barr, Parker, Patterson, Phillips, Popham, Poturich, Rain, Readdick, Reddick, Robertson, Roseberry, Seymour, Smith, Stepp, Stevens, Steverson, Thomas, Thrift, Ulmer, Warner, Watson, Wells, Williamson, Wright, Yeomans

If any of those names look familiar, you might want to go check it out and see if you have a relative! Have fun!

Chilly...

Ok, so when first disembarking onto Cumberland Island, you run into the Ice House Museum, seen here. The ice house was, oddly enough, where the Carnegie family made ice during their time here. The plant made 200 pound blocks of ice that were hauled by horse arounf the island. But more about the Carnegies tommorow. For now, come inside with me...
Archeologists have done excavations under the icehouse of a tabby structure that was previously here. Part of it is seen in this small window in the ice house floor.
Ice pick found in the ice house

Reproduction of the hats that were worn by Oglethorpe's soldiers during the War of Jenkin's Ear.

Spanish helmet, probably found nearby.

Some artifacts from the Sea Island Cotton industry.

Dishes from the Carnegie's Dungeness mansion.

Are you retarded?

So wandering through the parking lot yesterday, I came across a vehicle that had this as their front liscence plate. In case you can't read it, it says: St Marys, GA, Second oldest City in the USA. Ok, now I understand that small towns have slightly skewed versions of history to promote tourism, and St Marys is no exception. But come on! St Marys was not even founded until 1787 (under the name St Patrick!) Not to mention that Georgia was the last Colony to be founded. The only reason St Augustine is the oldest city in the US is because the Spanish founded it. And true, the Spanish did make a settlement near present day St Marys, but they were long gone by the time Oglethorpe founded the English Colony. As James Vocelle says, "whatever rights the Spanish had aquired by reason of possession had been lost by subsequent abandonment." One could also claim their was an Indian settlement here, but, well, um, they were everywhere!! That hardly constitutes a place as the oldest city in America. So I think I have made my point. Small town America, I love ya, but you have got to pay attention to history before you make outrageous claims! Too many people are miseducated about history as it is! As my wife would say, "please and thank you."

Many flags

A group of international flags fly over land they once fought for at Tybee Island. From left to right the Spanish, French, Pirate, US, British, Confederate, and Georgia flags.

Mother country

The British flag flies over the town it once created at Fort Frederica, Georgia.

Noble Dr. Jones

Ok, this is Wormslow, the plantation of Noble Jones (buried at Bonaventure) located about ten miles southeast of Savannah. Jones arrived with James Oglethorpe to settle the new colony of Georgia in 1733. In 1736, he leased 500 acres on the Isle of Hope from the colony Trustees, and later gained another 500 acres from John Fallowfield. The large gate above, constructed in 1913, marks the entrance to his large plantation.
In 1739, Jones began building a fortified tabby house on the water front, a model of which is seen above. The home was not completed until 1745 due to Jones participating in the invasion of Spanish St Augustine (1740) and the following Spanish attack at St Simon's Island (1742).
Jones was an important figure in the Colony, commanding a company of Marine boatmen, and serving as a constable, soldier, and Indian Agent. He was also treasurer and assistant to president of the colony from 1760-1775, Royal Council Member 1754-56, and Justice of the Province. When he died in 1775, his daughter, Mary Jones Bulloch gained ownership of the plantation, and it passed to her brother, Noble Wimberly Jones, on her death in 1795.

Jones had remained loyal to the British crown until his death, but his son, N.W. Jones was a Patriot. He was elected to the Commons House Assembly from 1755-1775, attended the first Provincial Congress in 1775, as well as the Second Congress, the State House Assembly, and the Council of Safety On May 19, 1775, N.W. Jones with a group of Patriots stole gunpowder from the provincial magazine, and sent it to the Patriot forces in Boston. He fled Savannah prior to the British takeover in 1778, but was captured at Charleston, SC in 1780 and imprisoned in St Augustine, FL with three signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Following the Revolution, Jones went into medicine, following in his father's footsteps. He helped to found the Georgia Medical Society in 1804 and was its first president. Jones rarely saw Wormslow during his ownership, and when he died in 1805, the estate fell into disrepair. His son George moved to the property in 1828 and built a two story frame dwelling north of the original house site. His descendents live there to this day, while these tabby ruins are all that remain of the original fortified house built by Noble Jones.

During the Civil War, Confederate earthworks were built on the property along the waterfront. Although they saw little action, they were captured by Union forces in 1864, who vandalized and confiscated the property. It was returned to the Jones familly on August 29, 1865.
This stone marks where Noble Jones was originally buried on the plantation, next to his wife Sarah and youngest son, Inigo. Jones' remains were later moved to Colonial Cemetery in Savannah, then to Bonaventure, where they remain today. Sarah and Inigo are belived to remain here. This stone was placed in 1875 by George Wyberly Jones DeRenne.
This picturesque Live Oak lined driveway was created by Wymberly Jones DeRenne in the 1890's for his son.