Fort Gadsden-- Part 9: The Attack Begins

Slavery was legal in the United States and the existence of a fort manned by blacks so close to the U.S. border was viewed with alarm.

The United States demanded Spain to do something about it, but it was not done fast enough and Major General Edmund P. Gaines was authorized to take care of the fort.  He placed Lt. Col. Duncan L. Church in command of the operation who moved down from Fort Gaines in Georgia to a site near the Florida border where he built a new stockade called Camp Crawford, whose name was later changed to Fort Scott.

He left there in July 1816 with a force of 112 soldiers from the 4th U.S. Infantry which was reinforced by several hundred Creek Indians led by Major William McIntosh, a Coueta chief who had fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the Creek War.

Upon arrival at Negro Fort, surrender was demanded and promptly refused.  The attack began July 27, 1816.  Clinch was assisted by U.S. navy Gunboats #149 and #154.

--Brock-Perry