Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
File:Mcallister plan 02.gif
Plan of the fort
Location	Near Midway, Georgia
Nearest city	Richmond Hill, Georgia
Coordinates
Area	30 acres (12 ha)
Built	1861 (1861)
NRHP Reference #	70000197
Added to NRHP	May 13, 1970

Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthen-work fort used to defend Savannah, Georgia during the American Civil War. It was the southern most of the forts defending Savannah and was involved in the most battles. It was located on the Ogeechee River in Bryan County. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#70000197).

History

Main articles: Battle of Fort McAllister (1863) and Battle of Fort McAllister (1864)

File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14782797413).jpg

After the siege of the fort

The fort was designed by Capt. John McCrady. In 1861 Gen. Robert E. Lee inspected the fort and recommended making it stronger. McCrady made the changes recommended by Lee and the earthen walls were better able to withstand bombardment from artillery fire. The fort had seven cannon emplacements. The bombproof area in the center housed a hospital, supply area, barracks, officer's quarters, gun power, and additional guns. A 10-inch mortar was kept outside the fort to keep it from shaking the dirt off the walls when it was fired.

The fort was attacked seven times by ships over the next two years. The fort withstood all of these attacks with only minimal damage and few casualties. There were four naval attacks in 1862. Union ironclad monitors began to attack the fort on January 27, 1863, starting with the Montauk and later with the Passaic, Nahant, and Patapsco. The Montauk had an 11-inch and a 15-inch cannon, the largest size used in the war. The ironclad bombarded the fort for 5 hours but caused no casualties and little damage because the earth absorbed the artillery shells and the damage was easily repaired. Similarly, the fort's cannons hit the ironclad 15 times but caused no significant damage. The Montauk made another unsuccessful attack on February 1, except that fort commander Maj. John B. Gallie was killed. A 7-hour bombardment on March 3 also failed to damage the fort.

On December 13, 1864, Gen. William T. Sherman reached the fort on his Match to the Sea. Gen. William B. Hazen's infantry division attacked the fort, defended by Maj. George W. Anderson and some 230 troops. The Union force overpowered the fort's defenders in about 15 minutes of battle. Fort McAllister was the last fort defending Savannah. After it fell, Gen. William J. Hardee withdrew his 10,000 troops that were defending Savannah and Sherman captured the city without resistance. Sherman's army abandoned the fort and burned its bunkers.

After the war

In the late 1930s, Henry Ford bought the property and began restoring it. The International Paper Company purchased the property from Ford's estate and gave it to the State of Georgia in 1958. The Georgia Historical Commission continued to restore the fort to its 1863-64 appearance. The museum displays many artifacts. The fort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The fort site was combined with the adjacent Richmond Hill State Park to create the Fort McAllister State Historic Park.

Photos

• Ditch with wooden spikes at Fort McAllister, GA, US.jpg

  Ditch at the perimeter

• Earth works at Fort McAllister, GA, US.jpg

  Earth works

• Hot Shot furnace at Fort McAllister, GA, US.jpg

  Hot Shot furnace

• Cannon on earth works at Fort McAllister, GA, US.jpg

  Cannon on earth works

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  Columbiad cannon (1964 reproduction)

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  Confederate national flag

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  Battle flag for Emmett Rifle unit

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  Munitions in the museum

See also

• Fort McAllister Historic Park, a Georgia state park located near Keller and Richmond Hill
• Battle of Fort McAllister (1863), attacks which took place from January 27 to March 3, 1863
• Battle of Fort McAllister (1864), which took place December 13, 1864

References

• Fort McAllister State Historic Park, brochure by the Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites
• Georgia State Parks