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Fort Decatur



 Fort Decatur was an earthen fort constructed in March 1814 on the eastern bank of the Tallapoosa River in present-day Macon County, Alabama, near the modern community of Milstead. Its establishment was a direct result of the Creek War (1813-1814), which itself became intertwined with the larger War of 1812.   

History and Purpose:

As the Creek War escalated, the United States Army sought to establish a series of fortifications to secure supply lines and exert control over the Creek Nation. Colonel Homer Milton, commanding officer of the 3rd Regiment, ordered the creation of Fort Decatur and Fort Burrows (located across the river) after departing Fort Hull. Benjamin Hawkins, an important figure in US-Creek relations, assisted in surveying the site for Fort Decatur. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Atkinson oversaw its construction.

Fort Decatur served several crucial purposes:

  • Supply Depot: It was intended to supply General Andrew Jackson's forces as they marched from Fort Williams towards Hickory Ground. However, flooding prevented the timely arrival of these supplies.
  • Military Post: The fort housed various military units, including Davy Crockett's Tennessee Mounted Volunteers for a period after their pursuit of Red Stick warriors. Georgia and South Carolina troops under Major General Thomas Pinckney also marched through Fort Decatur en route to Fort Jackson after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Brigadier General Joseph Graham commanded troops stationed at the fort who were tasked with repairing roads and aiding in supplying Jackson's army.
  • Boundary Commission Headquarters: Following the Creek War, in 1815, President James Madison appointed Colonel John Sevier to the United States Boundary Commission to survey the boundary between the US and the Creek Nation. Fort Decatur served as the headquarters for this commission. Notably, Colonel Sevier passed away at Fort Decatur on September 24, 1815, and was initially buried there before his remains were reinterred in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1889.

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