Fort Strother (Ragland, Alabama, Alabama)
Ragland, Alabama · Alabama · Creek War
History & Significance
Established in 1813 as a military supply depot and operations center, Fort Strother headquartered Andrew Jackson's Tennessee Militia during the Creek Indian Wars, a local theater of the War of 1812. By November 3, Jackson secured the first American victory in the war when Coffee's cavalry routed Creeks at the town of Tullusahatchee, killing 200 Red Stick warriors as well as a number of women and children.
Jackson marched to Fort Leslie and fought the Battle of Talladega. Jackson struggled with keeping Fort Strother supplied through the winter of 1813, despite it being connected to Fort Deposit on the Tennessee River by a 55-mile long supply road.
The fort had grown into a small city as supplies came in from Fort Deposit and Fort Armstrong. The fort, with its blockhouses, three large parade grounds, four separate camps — militia, infantry, cavalry, and at least 300 friendly Indians — was no small enterprise.
Jackson then marched to Fort Williams, and from there, his forces marched to Tohopeka and fought the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814. The fort site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. St. Clair County acquired the property in 2012.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Rectangular stockade fort built by Andrew Jackson in 1813 during Creek War
- Blockhouses at each corner overlooking the Coosa River bluff
- Archaeological cemetery and camp areas with 76 documented soldier burials
- Original military base and supply hub for operations against Red Stick Creeks
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Strother
- https://discoverstclair.com/st-clair-history/pieces-of-history/
- https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/creek-war-of-1813-14/
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/creek-war-1813-1814
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=28144