Fort Bowyer

 

Fort Bowyer was a short-lived but strategically important American fortification built in 1813 on Mobile Point, which is now part of Baldwin County, Alabama. At the time of its construction, this area was part of the Mississippi Territory. The fort was erected by the United States Army to guard the narrow entrance to Mobile Bay on the Gulf Coast during the War of 1812. It was named after Colonel John Bowyer, who oversaw its initial construction.   

Constructed primarily of sand and logs, the fort had a semi-circular face oriented towards the ship channel, allowing its cannons to cover a wide field of fire. The landward side featured a bastion with two demi-bastions to provide defense against ground attacks. Reports vary, but the fort was likely armed with between 6 and 14 cannons transferred from Fort Charlotte.  

Fort Bowyer was the site of two significant battles during the War of 1812:

First Battle of Fort Bowyer (September 14-16, 1814)

In September 1814, a British force under Captain William Percy attacked the fort with four warships and a contingent of Royal Marines and Native American warriors. The American garrison of around 120 men, commanded by Major William Lawrence, successfully repelled the attack. The British flagship, HMS Hermes, was heavily damaged by American fire, ran aground, and was eventually destroyed. This American victory thwarted the British plan to use Mobile as a base for an overland assault on New Orleans.