Fort Morris Historic Site is a Georgia state historic park in Liberty County,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

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 The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, including the French and Indian and

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

s and

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

. The historic site is and sits at an elevation of . On May 13, 1970, the fort was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as Fort Morris.National Park Service: Fort Morris
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History of the fort

The first fort on the site was constructed in 1741 and used in the

War of Jenkin's Ear The War of Jenkins' Ear, or , was a conflict lasting from 1739 to 1748 between Britain and the Spanish Empire. The majority of the fighting took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea, with major operations largely ended by 1742. It is cons ...

to protect a

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

owned by Captain Mark Carr. His plantation came under attack on March 18, 1741 by a group of Indians who were allies with the

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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 Indian The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsFrench and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

. The fort was expanded in 1758 to provide protection for the new settlement of Sunbury which was built on land owned by Carr. The need to defend the Medway River and Sunbury rose again at the outset of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

. Fort Morris was attacked by the British on January 9, 1779 and was taken the next day. The fort was renamed Fort George and was occupied by the British until September 1779. 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

. 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. Fort Morris and Sunbury played a minor role in the

. A small group of Confederate soldiers were stationed at Sunbury and may have used the fort. General

William T. Sherman William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

'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.

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 celebration includes tours given by guides in historic recreations of military uniforms and musket and

cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

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 is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

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 1-mile nature trail provides visitors with a glimpse of the wildlife and plants of the area.

References

External links

*
Fort Morris Historic Site
- official site {{authority control Protected areas of Liberty County, Georgia State parks of Georgia (U.S. state) Museums in Liberty County, Georgia American Revolutionary War museums History museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Military and war museums in Georgia (U.S. state)

Morris Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manitob ...

History of the fort

Park

See also

References

External links