Fort George (Pensacola, Florida)
Pensacola · Florida · American Revolutionary War
History & Significance
Built on Gage Hill in 1778 by the British to protect Pensacola, Fort George was the largest of a trio of fortifications, along with the Queen's Redoubt and the Prince of Wales Redoubt. The fort was located at Palafox and La Rua Streets and was surrounded by a dry moat.
During the 1781 Siege of Pensacola, British forces gathered in Fort George to prepare for siege, and Spanish artillery opened fire on the fort on May 5, 1781. A Spanish shell hit the powder magazine in the Queen's Redoubt on May 8, 1781, destroying the fort and killing approximately 100 British soldiers.
The fort was surrendered to Spanish forces under Bernardo de Galvez and renamed Fort San Miguel. The Spanish government never occupied the fort and it was allowed to deteriorate.
The site was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1974. Archaeologists spent nine months excavating areas of Gage Hill, where Fort George was located, and unearthed elements of the British and Spanish forts, including a section of the moat, a powder magazine, and several vaulted rooms believed to be latrines.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Revolutionary War-era British fortification from 1778
- Spanish siege site of 1781
- Partial reconstruction marking original location
- Located in North Hill Preservation District
- Historic cemetery and period interpretation
Sources
- https://www.visitpensacola.com/directory/fort-george/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_George_(Pensacola,_Florida)
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/siege-pensacola
- https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/fort-george-florida
- https://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortgeorge.html