Mississippi Forts
As early as 1752, the Province of Louisiana, which included the present
territory of Mississippi, was divided into nine civil and military districts.
Three of these were in Mississippi, to-wit : Biloxi, Natchez and Yazoo; the
remaining six were Alabama, Mobile, New Orleans, Illinois, Arkansas and
Natchitoches. Each district was protected by a fort, and was under the
jurisdiction of a commandant and judge, who administered the military and civil
concerns of each, and from whose decisions, an appeal might be taken to the
Supreme Council of the colony at New Orleans.
The district of Alabama was defended by Fort Toulouse, built by Captain de la
Tour in 1714, acting under the orders of Governor Cadillac. It was built on the
east bank of the Coosa, four miles above the junction of that river with the
Tallapoosa. It was kept constantly garrisoned, and served as the French outpost
against English encroachments from Carolina and Georgia. After the peace of
1762, it was occupied by the English. Fort Jackson was built on its ruins in the
War of 1812.
Fort Louis de la Mobile was built by the French in 1701, 12 leagues above the
present city of Mobile, on the west bank of the river. It was the chief
settlement of the colony until 1709-10, when, on account of a rise in the river
in the spring of 1709 which flooded the fort and all the houses in the vicinity,
Governor Bienville constructed a new fort on the present site of Mobile. This
fort was reconstructed later with brick, after the manner of Vauban with
bastions, half-moons, deep ditches, covered way, and glacis, with houses for the
officers, and barracks for the soldiers, and was mounted with 16 cannon. After
1720 it was known as Fort Conde. A fort and large magazines were also
constructed on Dauphine Island, where many of the colonists had their
habitations. For a description of the first fort at Biloxi see "Fort
Maurepas". The settlement here was known as Old Biloxi, and in 1717, when
the channel at Dauphine island had become choked with sand, de I'Epinay and de
Bienville decided to make use of the harbor at Ship island, and ordered a new
fort to be constructed on the mainland opposite. They selected a place one
league west of Old Biloxi for a site. The transport ship Dauphine, commanded by
M. Berranger, having arrived, and brought a great number of carpenters and
masons, they were put to work on the new fort. This was known as New Biloxi;
also as Fort Louis. In 1719, Fort Maurepas was burned, and never reconstructed.
A fort and magazines were also constructed on Ship Island.
The first fort built by the French on the lower Mississippi was in 1700, about
28 leagues from the mouth of the river, and below the English Turn. This was
abandoned in 1705. About the time of the establishment of the capital of the
colony at New Orleans in 1722, they fortified the extreme mouth of the river at
the Balize (q. v.). Subsequently strong fortifications were erected at New
Orleans.
Fort Rosalie at Natchez, and Fort St. Peter on
the Yazoo have been elsewhere described, (q. v.)
The French fort in the Illinois district was called Fort Chartres. It was about
25 miles above the village of the Kaskaskias. It was the headquarters of the
commandant of Upper Louisiana, and was deemed one of the strongest French posts
in North America. " When," says Dumont, "M. le Blanc sent men to take possession
of the grant made him on the Yasoux River, a hundred and forty leagues from the
capital, the little garrison, kept till then by the company (Western) at that
place, retired to the Arcancas post, then commanded by the Sieur de la Boulaye.
There is no fort in the place, only four or five palisade houses, a little guard
house and a cabin, which serves as a store house. This French post was
established as a stopping place for those going from the capital to the
Illinois. It was located three leagues from the mouth of the Arkansas river. The
Arkansas or Quapas Indians dwelled a league away. The settlers sent by John' Law
located a league from the post in the depths of the woods, where they found a
beautiful plain surrounded by fertile valleys, and a little stream of pure,
clear water."
Fort Natchitoches was established in 1718 by Governor Bienville on Red river,
about 75 leagues from the Mississippi. It was used as a barrier against the
Spaniards, to prevent their entering Louisiana. In 1719, the French under la
Harpe, established Fort St. Louis de Carlorette, 150 leagues above Natchitoches,
on the right bank of the river, in N. lat. 33° and 35', as a sign of the
jurisdiction of the French in that part of Louisiana, since called Texas.
Other Early Mississippi Forts
- Fort Adams
- Fort Dearborn
- Fort Jefferson
- Fort Maurepas
- Fort Mims
- Fort Nogales
- Fort Panmure
- Fort Rosalie
- Fort St. Claude
Back to: Mississippi History
Source: Encyclopedia of Mississippi History, by Dunbar Rowland.
