Camp Blount, Tennessee-- Part 3: Mustering Point for Other Wars

Camp Blount served as the mustering grounds for other wars than the War of 1812.

Tennessee troops mustered here for the Seminole Wars of 1818 and 1836.  Later they did the same for the Civil War.

It is likely that both Confederate and Union troops mustered here during the Civil War, though, obviously, not at the same time.

--Brock-Perry

West Florida's Col. William King-- Part 1: Fort King Named for Him

I have been writing about Florida's Fort King in the last two posts.  It was named for William King.

From Wikipedia.

Born in Delaware in the late 18th century.  Died in January 1826.

U.S. Army officer and military governor of West Florida from May 26, 1818, to Feb. 4, 1819.  He was appointed by Andrew Jackson who led the U.S. occupation of Spanish West Florida during the First Seminole War.

King was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1808 and served in the War of 1812.  In 1813, he was promoted to colonel and led the 4th U.S. Infantry regiment.  After the war, he served with Jackson in the First Seminole War and was with him during Jackson's controversial 1818 invasion of the Spanish colony of West Florida.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 1

Troops attacking Negro Fort, which I wrote about the last two weeks, were led by Duncan Clinch.

From Good Old Wikipedia.

Born April 6, 1787, Died October 28, 1849.  American Army officer.

Also fought in the First and Second Seminole wars and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Born in North Carolina.

While in command of American forces in southern Georgia, he was ordered to attack the Seminoles and blacks who were at what was known as Negro Fort.  A shot from one of the gunboats assisting him, entered the magazine, causing a huge explosion and killing hundreds inside the fort.  This action led to the First Seminole War.

During the Second Seminole War, Clinch served with Major Francis L. Dade.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gadsden-- Part 12: Service in Other Wars

Fort Gadsden was used as a forward base during the First Seminole War and held by the United States until 1821 when Spain gave up its claim to Florida.    From 1818-1821, more than 100 U.S. soldiers died at the fort and are buried somewhere on its grounds.

It was again reoccupied on a temporary basis during the Second Seminole War from 1835-1842.

During the Civil War, the Confederates posted a batter of field artillery and a small detachment at the site.  In 1865, a U.S. Navy boat party captured a few sentries there and cannons.  It eventually was a campsite for the 8th Florida Cavalry, CSA.

The next time we go to panama City, Florida, I will have to check this place out.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gadsden-- Part 11: Fort Gadsden Built in 1818

In 1818, General Andrew Jackson arrived with his army at the fort's ruins.  The First Seminole War was raging at the time and he was under orders to invade Florida and punish the Red Stick Creeks and Seminoles responsible for the Scott Massacre of 1817.

he ordered Lt. James Gadsden, an Army engineer, to build a new fort there.  He used the old earthen British water battery, which had survived the 1816 blast, as the river face of his new fort.  The rear was enclosed by a bastion of earth and logs.  Jackson was so impressed by Gadsden's work that he had the fort named after him.

--Brock-Perry