Fort Sinquefield (Clarke County, Alabama)
Clarke County · Alabama · Creek War
History & Significance
The Creek War of 1813 originated as a civil conflict within the Creek Nation between traditionalists and those adopting European-American customs; the first hostilities involving Americans occurred nearby at the Battle of Burnt Corn on July 27, 1813. As many as fifteen families sought shelter in Fort Sinquefield as fears of Red Stick attack mounted.
On September 1, 1813, Red Stick warriors attacked the nearby cabin where Ransom Kimbell and Abner James families had relocated, killing a dozen residents in what became known as the Kimbell-James Massacre. Abner James's daughter Sarah Merrill, severely wounded and scalped, survived by hiding her injured infant son in a hollow log to conserve strength during her escape to the fort.
On September 2, Red Stick warriors, many painted with turkey feathers and red-dyed cow's tails, attacked the fort, but settler Isaac Hayden released his hunting dogs to confuse the assailants, allowing refuge-seeking women to escape; Hayden was the last to enter as his horse was shot from under him. After a two-hour battle, the Red Sticks retreated, and survivors soon abandoned the fort for the larger Fort Madison to the south. Today the site, administered by the Clarke County Historical Society and listed on the National Register, contains interpretive panels, a stone monument, a partial reconstruction of the fort wall, and a walking trail to the spring where the second attack occurred.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Historic marker (erected 1931) commemorating a Creek War defensive stockade
- Site of the Kimbell-James Massacre during Red Stick attacks
- Refuge location for pioneer families and Lower Creek allies after Fort Mims massacre
- National Register of Historic Places listing
- Rural Alabama setting marking early 19th-century frontier conflict
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Sinquefield
- https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/fort-sinquefield/
- https://fortsinquefield.org/
- https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/site-of-fort-sinquefield-the-kimbell-james-massacre-near-whatley-al-clarke-county/
- https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/130059/Monument-Fort-Sinquefield.htm