Fort Alabama
Fort Alabama was a Second Seminole War-era fortification in the central portion of the American state of Florida, located 9 miles (14 km) south of current-day Zephyrhills in Pasco County.[1]
Florida unrest
During the 1820s, tensions between native inhabitants and settlers in central Florida increased. Expanding settlements put pressure on Seminole lands. The U.S. Army established several posts and fortifications in central and north Florida to buffer native peoples and European Americans. Fort King was constructed in north-central Florida (present Ocala)[2]. From this strategic location, a network of roads and trails connected to points throughout the state. Most important was the Fort King Road[3] leading south to Fort Brooke, on the northern end of Tampa Bay.
Second Seminole War
Late in 1835, the U.S. government determined to remove the Seminole Indian tribe of south-central Florida to designated lands west of the Mississippi. After negotiations between the government and Indian leaders broke down, the Seminoles began raiding settlements and military detachments[4]. The conflict, known as the Second Seminole War, lasted between 1835 and 1842[5].
Fort Alabama
With the onset of hostilities, it became important to maintain a supply line between Fort Brooke (Tampa Bay) and Fort King.[6][7]. A critical location requiring protection was where the Fort King Road crossed the Hillsborough River, approximately 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Fort Brooke. In March 1836, a detachment of Alabama Volunteers constructed a small fortification at the site. The Seminoles twice attacked this fort, killing and wounding several Volunteers. The fort was abandoned in late April 1836, less than two months after its construction. A loaded firearm was left in the powder magazine with a string tied to the door as a booby trap. The Alabama Volunteers marched less than two miles when they heard the explosion that destroyed the fort[4]
Fort Foster
In the fall of 1836, the Army decided to re-occupy the previously abandoned Fort Alabama site. The rebuilt fortification, consisting of a stockade, storehouse, and magazine, was named Fort Foster in honor of Lieutenant Colonel William Foster, the officer leading the detachment that constructed the works[8]
References
- ↑ "Fort Foster, Second Seminole War (1835-1842)". June 7, 2022. Archived from the original on December 21, 2005. Retrieved July 15, 2022.CS1 maint: Unfit url (link)
- ↑ Ott, Eloise R. (1967). "Fort King: A Brief History". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 46 (1): 29–38.
- ↑ Riley, Darrell (Dec 31, 2002). "Florida's Crossroads". Ocala Star-Banner.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mahon, John K. (2017). History of the Second Seminole War, 1835–1842. Gainesville, Florida: LibraryPress@UF. Search this book on
- ↑ Missall, John & Mary Lou (2015). Florida Seminole Wars Heritage Trail. Dade City, FL: Seminole Wars Foundation, INC. Search this book on
- ↑ Cubberly, Fred (1927). "Fort King". Florida Historical Quarterly. 5 (3): 139–52 – via JSTOR.
- ↑ Bittle, George C. (1967). "First Campaign of the Second Seminole War". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 46 (1): 39–45 – via JSTOR.
- ↑ Schene, M. G. (1976). "Fort Foster: A Second Seminole War Fort". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 54(3): 319–339.
External links
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