Fort Montgomery

Fort Montgomery was a stockade fort built in August 1814 in present-day Baldwin County, Alabama (then Mississippi Territory), during the Creek War, which was part of the larger War of 1812. The fort was built by the United States military in response to attacks by Creek warriors on encroaching American settlers and in preparation for further military action in the War of 1812. Fort Montgomery continued to be used for military purposes but in less than a decade was abandoned. Nothing exists at the site today. History Background The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and allied Native Americans (including members of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Creek tribes) and the United Kingdom, Spain (not initially involved), and various Native American tribes. The war began after increasing tensions caused by territorial expansion of the United States led to the United Kingdom increasing trade restrictions. It initially took place in the northeastern part of the United States and southeastern Canada, but eventually came to include conflicts in the southeastern United States and Spanish West Florida. The Creek War began in 1813 after two rival factions of the Creek tribe fought over various issues, including the creation of a centralized Creek government. Supporters of the Creek national government were known as White Sticks and were accepting of the "civilization" efforts of the young American government, including subsistence farming. The rival faction, known as the Red Sticks, opposed a centralized Creek government. The Red Sticks were further emboldened by the recent visit of the Shawnee warrior Tecumseh and his calls for the resistance to expansion of American settlers on Native American land. The United States became involved in the Creek War in hopes of preventing the Red Sticks from allying themselves with the United Kingdom. Andrew Jackson commanded Army soldiers, militia, and allied Native Americans against the Red Sticks. After the Treaty of Fort Jackson the Creek War essentially concluded, but sporadic fighting continued in the area north of Mobile and Spanish West Florida. Spies had reported back to Jackson of the presence of British troops in Pensacola and of the fact that Red Sticks were being armed by the British in their continued fight against the United States. Jackson then planned an invasion of Pensacola to prevent the supplying of weapons, culminating in the Battle of Pensacola.