Fort King George Fort King George was a fort located in the U . S . state of Georgia . The fort was built in 1721 along the Altamaha River and served as the southernmost outpost of the British Empire in the Americas until 1727 . The fort was constructed in what was then considered part of the colony of South Carolina , but was territory later settled as Georgia . It was part of a defensive line intended to encourage settlement along the colony ' s southern frontier , from the Savannah River to the Altamaha River . Great Britain , France , and Spain were competing to control the American Southeast , especially the Savannah - Altamaha River region . Fort King George was a hardship for troops assigned there . A total of 140 officers and soldiers died , mostly from camp diseases such as dysentery and malaria , due to poor sanitation . The soldiers made up " The Independent Company of South Carolina " , an " invalid " company of elderly British Regulars , one hundred in all , sent over from Great Britain . Their suffering was largely caused by their own poor health , and inadequate provisions due to poor funding . Problems such as periodic river flooding , indolence , starvation , excessive alcoholism , desertion , enemy threats , and potential mutiny exacerbated hardships at the fort . The fort was a model for General James Oglethorpe when he set up his southern defense system for Georgia , and established settlement along the Atlamaha River . In 1736 , Ogelthorpe brought Scottish colonists to settle the site of the abandoned Fort King George . They named their village Darien . That same year , Oglethorpe built Fort Frederica on Saint Simons Island . Oglethorpe borrowed extensively from ideas laid out earlier when South Carolina imperialists , such as John Barnwell , Josheph Bowdler , and Francis Nicholson , planned Fort King George as part of a defensive system . Operated by the state of Georgia as Fort King George Historical Site , the fort has been reconstructed and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . It is open to the public for historical tours . Structures include a blockhouse , officers ' quarters , barracks , a guardhouse , baking and brewing house , blacksmith shop , moat , and palisades . The park ' s museum focuses on the 18th - century cultural history of the area , including the Guale , the 17th - century Spanish mission Santo Domingo de Talaje , the fort , and the Scottish colonists . An exhibit explains the 19th century sawmilling at the site , and the remains of two sawmills and ruins . Tabby cement ruins , based on a regional building material , also can be found on the property . Site staff offers living history programs year - round . Background information . For nearly 200 years before the establishment of Georgia in 1733 , Europeans of various nations had struggled to claim footholds in this vast territory . At one time , it was one of the most coveted regions in all of North America . Its bountiful river systems , the Atlamaha , Ogeechee , and Savannah rivers , offered valuable conduits of transportation for empire building during the Age of Mercantilism . Europeans believed they could conquer its Native American peoples . The area ' s coastline had a labyrinth of barrier island s , mud shoals , sandbars , and impassable rivers that afforded a great natural barrier system for whoever controlled it . Over time , this territory would become a " debatable land " for which Europe ' s three mightiest countries of the time : Spain , France , and Great Britain , all competed . This international rivalry brought many outcomes . First , the Spanish founded St . Augustine , Florida in 1565 to protect their shipping lanes for treasure - laden ships sailing up from South America . As the French sought newer fur trade markets in the South , and ultimately the Southeast , French Louisiana was expanded in the late 17th century down the Mississippi and into the Gulf region . To curb French encroachment from the west , and to undermine Spain ' s traditional claims to areas north of Florida , the British colonists deemed it vital to expand and defend their southern borders , especially at the Savannah River . The resultant clash of European forces affected most of the regional Native American peoples , eventually destroying their traditional cultures and their independence . The imperial struggle contributed in the 1720s to the establishment of Fort King George by the British , built at the headwaters of the Altamaha River , inland from Sapelo Island . Trade was also a key aspect of founding the fort . In 2011 , an old map , dated 1721 and drawn by John Barnwell , was found in the fort ' s storeroom . It shows two roads from the fort : one leading north and the other along the river to a Muscogee ( Creek ) path , the tribe who were the desired trading partners . Spain sought to protect its rich harvest of precious metals in the Americas . France and England competed for control over the lucrative fur trade with the Native Americans . Additional resources such as timber , naval stores , and cash crops were also at stake for the British . The British built Fort King George as a step toward settling the Atlamaha River region . The British needed to control the river systems in order to control economic activities and commerce in the Southeast , especially that pertaining to the fur trade . The Altamaha River is one of the largest and far reaching rivers in the region , and it allowed passage throughout the territory , especially to the powerful tribes of the Creek / Muskogee found west of the river system . Fort King George was part of a plan by the British to control the Altamaha and to secure economic imperial superiority in the Southeast . Contest for empire in the Southeast . The Spanish were the first to arrive in the Southeast , first with explorers , then with the settlement of St . Augustine in present - day Florida in 1565 . They started creating a mission system , converting the Native American tribes and using them as workers for agricultural production . The city became a base so that the Spanish could protect their treasure ships carrying gold and silver from the South . They used missions to expand the Catholic faith to the numerous tribes found in the Southeast . The converted Native Americans were incorporated into the Spanish system of " repartimento " . They used an indigenous labor force capable of growing surplus grains for needy colonists in the Spanish - American Empire . By the mid - 17th century , dozens of Spanish missions controlled the southeastern coastline with thousands of Native Americans drawn into and around them . This system centered on missions accompanied with troops occupying presidio s . They created four mission provinces : Tumucua ( interior northern Florida ) , Apalachee ( northwestern Florida ) , Guale ( Georgia coast north of the Altamaha River ) , and Mocama ( from the Altamaha River south to the St . Johns River ) . The name Guale was possibly derived from a Native American chief of that name who was visited by Pedro Menéndez on St . Catherines Island in 1566 . In that year , Menéndez established troops on that island . Santa Catalina de Guale would later become one of the largest and most productive missions by the mid - 17th century . Another successful mission was Santo Domingo de Talaje . Established sometime in the early 17th century , this mission was located on a large bluff up the north branch of the Altamaha River . Native Americans had inhabited the bluff for thousands of years . The English later used this site as the location for Fort King George in the 1720s . Guale was threatened by the settlement of English Carolina immediately to the north , where Charlestown was established in 1670 . Through the late seventeenth century , Carolinian forces and their Indian allies were successful at destroying the Spanish mission system . Throughout the 1670s and 1680s , they attacked and destroyed missions on Saint Catherines Island , St Simons Island , Cumberland Island , and several interior missions situated close to the coast . San Joseph de Sapala on Sapelo Island was destroyed by pirates in 1683 , leading to Spanish abandonment of the Guale and Mocama provinces . Likewise , the British and allied forces reduced the Apalachee mission province during the first decade of the 18th century . The surviving mission Indians retreated and aggregated farther south until their remnants were situated just north of the Saint Augustine base near the St . Johns River . During the 1680s , the Carolina colonists had effectively driven the Spanish entirely from the modern Georgia coast . This campaign intensified hostilities between the Spanish and the English , and catalyzed British interest in settling the Savannah - Altamaha River region . Further west , the French were moving down the Mississippi and into the Gulf region . In 1699 Pierre Le Moyne d ' Iberville founded Biloxi ] ] , and Mobile ] ] , the first capital of French Louisiana , was settled in 1702 . From these bases , French fur traders planned to move eastward to incorporate regional tribes , especially the Creek , into their business enterprise . In 1718 , they built Fort Toulouse at the forks of the Coosa and Tallapoosa ] ] rivers , in the heart of Creek country . This settlement , designed to take business from Carolina traders , was close to the Creek capital of Coweta . The British perceived it as a threat to their plans to control trade networks throughout the Southeast , especially among the Creek and Cherokee . The tribes ' geographical proximity to the Carolina colony made their stability vital . The British intended to expand their trade westward to other Southeast tribes , such as the Choctaw and Chickasaw . [ [ File : Fort Toulouse . jpg | thumb | left | Fort Toulouse , in modern - day Alabama , was built by the French in 1718 ; it threatened British trading among the [ [ Creek people . In 1702 , during the [ [ War of Spanish Succession , Spain and France allied against Great Britain . South Carolinians were bordered by enemies to the south and west , which intensified the competition for Native American alliances . That year , the British colonists learned of their enemies ' plan known as " Projet Sur La Caroline " . Spanish Florida and French Louisiana allied forces intended to encircle South Carolina , especially with Native Americans . Officials in South Carolina convinced a large number of [ [ Yamasee ] ] to settle in the Beaufort area just north of the Savannah River basin . Good relations with the Yamasee ensured a protective buffer along the southern borders of the colony . The British also worked to maintain relations with the Creek and Cherokee tribes to the west . " Projet Sur La Caroline , " while never implemented , left the South Carolina colonists with high anxiety for many years , and convinced officials of the necessity to maintain good Indian alliances . The [ [ Yamasee War ] ] of 1715 - 1717 broke out . This war started because of grave injustices carried out by Carolina traders against their Native American clients . For many years the traders had been systematically cheating the Indians in the fur trade by using bogus weights and measures , applying tough credit standards , severely indebting Native American suppliers , and taking Indian slaves for unpaid debts . Finally , the Yamasee turned on South Carolina and nearly destroyed the colony . Virginia ' s support and Cherokee warriors helped deflect the Yamasee attacks . [ [ File : YamaseeWarMap01 . png | thumb | The Yamasee War , 1715 - 1717 left a legacy of fear among South Carolinians over the colony ' s defense . ] ] After the surviving Yamasee were expelled , they migrated to the St . Augustine area and cultivated a new alliance with the Spanish . South Carolina was left weak and vulnerable with no military buffer along its southern fringes , and the war alienated the Creek tribes to the west . Also , during this same period the amount of slaves in the colony was growing exponentially to the point that blacks outnumbered whites . The Spanish attempted to incite revolts by offering runaway slaves freedom and land in St . Augustine . They enrolled escaped slaves into the Spanish army . In 1718 , French colonists successfully attacked Pensacola , a settlement controlled by Spanish Florida . By this time , Spain and France had started the [ [ War of the Quadruple Alliance ] ] . The French success threatened Charlestown officials , who were convinced the French aimed to conquer the Southeast . They built Fort Toulouse had been built in the heart of Creek country earlier that year . The French were more active among the Creek and it appeared as though they had designs to expand further east . Frightened and upset , the colonists finally exercised their own revolt . They rebelled against the ineffective rule of the Proprietors back in England . South Carolina , being a colony that was governed by eight proprietors from across the ocean , had suffered under proprietary rule . The economy of the colony was hampered by runaway inflation caused by reckless economic policies and unreasonable restrictions on land ownership and [ [ trade regulation ] ] . Of graver concern were the issues related to defense . The colonists and their officials wanted greater protection from the enemies on their borders . The Proprietors were not willing to fund greater military development . In 1719 , the colonists finally had enough . That year they ousted governor [ [ Rober Johnson ( governor ) | Robert Johnson ] ] , a proprietary governor , and chose [ [ James Moore ( South Carolina politician ) | James Moore ] ] , an outspoken opponent of proprietary rule , as his replacement . Secondly , they sent Carolina planter John Barnwell to petition British Parliament that South Carolina become a Royal colony . It just so happened that Parliament had been taking a greater interest in the colony and the prospects of bringing it under royal dominion . Though the colony was having internal economic problems , overall it was one of the most productive in producing cash crops such as rice and [ [ Indigofera | indigo ] ] . Furthermore , the fur trade in the colony , creating nearly a fifth of its exports to Great Britain , was quite lucrative for merchants back in England . Finally , the Yamasee War had made many English officials realize that the preservation of South Carolina was principal in defending the British North American Empire . Without the colony and its economic activities , the empire would be significantly weakened . Therefore , the petition was granted and in August 1720 , South Carolina became a [ [ British overseas territories | royal colony ] ] , though in name only as it would be nearly a decade later until the Proprietors were truly nullified and the colony was officially taken over by the Crown in practice . Many felt Royal control would improve defensive measures for the colony . However , things did not vastly improve , though Parliament did seem receptive to newer ideas and token measures were taken to aid the colony ' s defense . Colonel John " Tuscarora Jack " Barnwell had come to South Carolina in 1699 from northern Ireland . He was a man of considerable talent and leadership skills . He gained a reputation during his successful fight against the Tuscarora Indians in North Carolina in 1712 . He owned a large and successful plantation in Beaufort , South Carolina . Barnwell was influential in the colony and proposed defensive measures for it . He developed a plan that became the inspiration for Georgia . It involved building a series of forts in strategic locations along South Carolina ' s frontiers in order to check French and Spanish expansion . These forts would serve as launching points for towns where soldiers would receive land allotments and other furnishings to facilitate settlement . The settlements would be used to expand the colony ' s territory and trade with the Natives . During his visit to Parliament in 1720 , Barnwell petitioned the British Board of Trade to help implement his plan . He emphasized the French threat as opposed to the Spanish one , since at the time the French seemed to be gaining considerable ground in the Southeast . Before the Board , Barnwell argued the strong possibility of a French attack on the colony and possible takeover of its southern borders , especially at the headwaters of the Altamaha River ( called the River May by the French ) . To secure this area from French encroachment , his first proposal was for a fort to be built along the Altamaha River . The British Board of Trade approved of his plan in building this fort . Due to the [ [ South Sea Company | South Sea Bubble ] ] financial crisis , the British economy was in shambles . The government had minimal funds to spare and it showed in how Fort King George was operated , resourced , and funded . Barnwell requested " young , robust " soldiers to man the fort . He realized that the environment along the Altamaha would be a tough one . A long seasoning process was inevitable for the [ [ settler ] ] s and it would take time for them to adapt and properly outfit the settlement . Instead , the British sent elderly " invalids " from Colonel Felding ' s [ [ 41st ( Welsh ) Regiment of Foot | 41st Regiment ] ] . This Independent Company , thereafter known as His Majesty ' s Independent Company of Foot of South Carolina , was composed of three [ [ sergeant ] ] s , three [ [ corporal ] ] s , two drummers , and one hundred [ [ Private ( rank ) | privates ] ] , all older men well past their prime . Governor Francis Nicholson of South Carolina was commissioned [ [ Captain ( land ) | Captain ] ] of the Independent Company with Barnwell later being named [ [ Colonel ] ] . Initial officers included Lt . Joseph Lambert , Lt . John Emmenes , Ensigns Thomas Merryman and John Bowdler , Robert Mason as surgeon , with Thomas Hesketh as Chaplain . Most of the soldiers and officers , including Barnwell , perished at the fort by 1727 . [ [ File : Invalid Soldier Thomas Hiseland . jpg | thumb | left | A good example of a Royal Pensioner , or " invalid " , stationed at [ [ Royal Hospital Chelsea ] ] in London during the early 18th century . ] ] With the land allotments , tools , and farming implements , the soldiers were expected to establish a new settlement around the fort . This was the first British attempt to populate the Altamaha River region . It planned to have other settlers follow to the fort . Fort King George was highly significant in that it represented the culmination of a nearly 200 - year European struggle to control the Southeast . By constructing the fort , the British dominated the river and its surrounding territory . It started a diplomatic feud with the Spanish , eventually leading to war between the two nations . The feud ended with the British success at the [ [ Battle of Bloody Marsh ] ] on St . Simons Island in 1742 , several years after the fort had been abandoned . Though the fort was considered a failure in the near term , it ultimately contributed to Georgia ' s establishment and early success . The Fort ' s construction and demise . From the time of its construction in 1721 to its abandonment in 1727 , Fort King George was beset by one miserable experience after another . When the Independent Company embarked from London in November 1720 , there may have been some room for optimism among the soldiers . Each was to receive many acres of land surrounding the fort , something unimaginable in the class driven societies of England . Additionally , they would be given cattle and seed for growing crops to develop farms . Also , resources necessary for developing new homes and farms would be available . However , such possible optimism probably soon faded beneath a very harsh reality . All the soldiers contracted scurvy on the voyage over to South Carolina . Immediately upon landing the following March , the soldiers were placed in a hospital in Port Royal , South Carolina , where they would spend time recovering throughout the remainder of that year . [ [ File : Scouts Rowing Fort King George Boat . jpg | thumb | Coastal Scouts were hardened seamen who Barnwell had to enlist to help him build Fort King George while his troops recovered from illness back in Port Royal . ] ] Left with no troops , Colonel Barnwell ' s only option was to enlist Coastal Scouts and civilians to help him construct the fort . Coastal Scouts were hardened seamen whose organization dated all the way back to the early 18th century in South Carolina . They were formed to establish some semblance of a navy for the colony . Their role was akin to [ [ marine ( military ) | marines ] ] , to patrol the waterways in scout boats up and down the coast between Beaufort and St . Augustine , and engage the enemy from their boats if necessary . They were also charged with the task of provisioning outlying forts on the frontier . Many scouts may have been former pirates as South Carolina was a den for many in the 1680s and 1690s when the colony started cracking down on piracy , arresting pirates , and then offering them clemency in exchange for their oath to the King and services in the colony . Though they may have been good seamen , they were hardly good at following directions on land . Barnwell complained bitterly in his journal about all his troubles with them . He referred to them as " Continually ( sic ) sotting " and described them as " a wild Idle ( sic ) people " who were highly disobedient . In one incident , during a bout of drunkenness , one prankster scout actually picked Barnwell up and heaved him over his shoulder pretending to carry Barnwell to his boat . Instead , he dropped the colonel in the water , forcing Barnwell to lie all night in wet clothes on his boat , something Barnwell later attributed to a sickness he soon contracted . Barnwell , ill tempered , no doubt got his revenge somehow , but the incident goes to show there was little formal discipline in the wild frontiers of South Carolina . Barnwell needed the scouts to get the fort underway , and they were noted for being highly prone toward dissension and possible [ [ mutiny ] ] . Given the proximity to St . Augustine and the likeliness of [ [ desertion ] ] Barnwell , no doubt , had to be quite a bit more tolerant than most Colonels dealing with troops on the front lines of Europe . [ [ File : John Barnwell Altamaha River Map . jpg | thumb | left | Colonel Barnwell ' s 1721 drawing depicting the forts location on the northern branch of the Altamaha River . In it , he also describes various geographical features of the site . ] ] Though their relationship was rough , Barnwell did manage to gain some progress during construction of the fort that summer in 1721 . The fort ' s blockhouse was completed by the fall . The men had to go up - river to find adequate cypress trees to cut for the blockhouse ' s framework and siding . They nearly mutinied so Barnwell had to offer extra pay , and probably extra rum rations , to provide incentives for the men to go back out to cut more trees . Also , in addition to these accomplishments , Barnwell managed to sound out much of the river and charted a route down coast to St . Simons Island . He was impressed with the obvious logistical ] ] advantage of this island and decided to propose moving the fort there . He was repeatedly denied by the legislature due to cost prohibitions . [ [ File : John Barnwells Route to SSI with River Info . jpg | thumbnail | John Barnwell ' s 1722 drawing of the route from Fort King George to St . Simons Island . It was here Barnwell wanted to move Fort King George to in that year . The data on the chart at left is navigational information By early 1722 , the Independent Company was stationed at Fort King George . Within a year nearly half of them had died , mostly from diseases such as dysentery and malaria . The fort ' s officers periodically intimated in letters that the men were not well motivated . They had difficulty getting the men to tend to their lots , to build fences in order to entrap roaming cattle supplied for the troops , and to grow crops . A lack of development made life even more miserable . A few soldiers deserted to St . Augustine . Still , others stayed though death from the elements was nearly a certainty . By later that year the fort ' s guardhouse was being called a hospital for " treating the sick " . Some excitement did occur periodically . In 1722 [ [ Indian agent ] ] Theophilus Hastings reported to the legislature that 170 Yamasee Indians were prepared to attack Fort King George . It seems , he indicated , that the Spanish " were playing their old game " . Apparently , it was presumed that the Spanish were inciting the attack to test the fort ' s defensibility . Unfortunately , the records do not indicate whether or not the attack actually happened , however , if it did the fort must have survived unabated . Later on that year , some unexpected visitors arrived at the fort . A company of " Switzers " , [ [ Swiss mercenaries | Swiss soldiers ] ] , had deserted a settlement on the Mississippi River and had made their way to Fort King George where they sought asylum . Switzers were under the employ of the French government in their colony of Louisiana . These men were charged with the toilsome duty of digging canals and were often overworked and mistreated . This was probably the reason for their desertion . It also indicates that the French were quite aware of Britain ' s occupation at the mouth of the Altamaha and were apparently discussing it openly among all Louisiana settlers . Interestingly , even though Carolina officials were having a hard time getting much - needed recruits at the fort , to replace the dying soldiers , they did not let all the Switzers stay there . Instead , they allowed them to " disperse themselves into the colony as they pleased " . However , they did request that any skilled Switzers , up to six total , stay behind to assist with construction . One of them obviously was a skilled artist and penned one of the fort ' s most descriptive drawings entitled , " A Plan of Fort King George at Allatamaha South Carolina " . The drawing clearly displays intentions for the fort to be a triangular shaped structure with only one bastion jutting out on the northwestern side , the only direction in which the fort could most likely be attacked by land . The eastern and southern sides of the fort were fully protected by natural wetlands thus making a land assault from those directions impossible . Also , the fort was designed to include a barracks , ninety feet long and fourteen feet wide , a guardhouse , an officers ’ quarters , several indigenous huts , a very impressive parapet , a house of office ( privy ) , and a dock for the scout boat , in addition to the blockhouse discussed previously . > . [ [ File : Fort King George Switzermap . jpg | thumb | left | In 1722 , a Swiss soldier who had deserted his post in Louisiana arrived at Fort King George . He drew this plan of the fort for South Carolina . The flag above it is the " switzer " colors . ] ] The Spanish had been protesting the British occupation of the Altamaha ever since Fort King George was first built . In 1724 , some Spanish envoys came to address grievances over the construction of the fort . However , they were not allowed to enter Fort King George because the Governor and commanders were worried that if they were to enter and inspect , the fort ' s security could be compromised . As such , the envoys were diverted to Charlestown where they had to express their grievances . Though Governor Francis Nicholson welcomed them and treated them graciously , he did not accept their arguments and maintained the right of the British to settle the Altamaha River region . The Spanish were infuriated and over the next several years an intense game of diplomatic jousting ensued . More drawings of the fort indicate that the fort was developing even though hardships seemed abundant . A 1726 drawing reveals the fort was fortified with a [ [ parapet ] ] that , in critical places , consisted of firing steps , a firing wall held against a [ [ breastwork ( fortification ) | breastwork ] ] made of earth , a [ [ palisade ] ] fence , and a [ [ moat ] ] . Fronting the river to the south , the fort was protected from naval assault by nine [ [ cannon ] ] emplacements . Each emplacement had a six - pounder cannon mounted on it . Also , several [ [ swivel gun ] ] s were positioned throughout the fort , primarily around the gates . Most important , the fort was positioned on the closed end of a horseshoe - shaped bend in the river . Typical of the time period , this positioning prevented passing enemy ships a convenient firing of [ [ broadside ] ] s on the fort . Instead , all ships would have to approach the fort bow ( nose ) first , thus making it harder for enemy sailors to position the boat sideways so as to fire through cannon ports at the fort . The fort was by all appearances a standard " pallisado " fort very typical of the type built on frontiers during the time period . They were primarily designed to be temporary until something more substantial could be built . Such forts , made from earthen materials and indigenous wood , were very practical for frontier defense as the materials were relatively easy to gather and transport to site . Also , these fortifications could easily be repaired if damaged , as materials were relatively available and indigenous to the area . [ [ File : Fort King George Outerwork Plan 1726 . jpg | thumb | This 1726 drawing shows the forts outerworks and armaments associated with it . ] ] In 1724 , Colonel Barnwell died at his plantation in Beaufort due to failing health , probably brought on by hardships during his tenure at the fort . Earlier , he had been declared to be Governor of the territory in addition to being the fort ' s commander . Though his dreams of seeing South Carolina bounded by a barrier of defensive settlements had been initiated , by the time of his death the reality of its successful fruition seemed bleak . Though dead , his legacy lived on later through General [ [ James Oglethorpe ] ] who borrowed heavily from Colonel Barnwell ' s ideas . In late 1725 or early 1726 , the fort burned under mysterious circumstances . It was suggested by the fort ' s reporting officer , Capt . Edward Massey , that the men stationed there may have been responsible for it , or at least , they did not rush to put the fires out " in hopes by the destruction of the Fort ( sic ) they should be delivered from the Miseries ( sic ) they had so long suffered . " The soldiers probably desperately wanted to go back home or anywhere but Fort King George , three days away from Beaufort . If this was the case , their wishes did not come true . The fort was ordered rebuilt , this time with inferior cypress deal planking . Life did not improve . Finally , in 1727 , British Parliament ordered that Fort King George be abandoned and that the Independent Company be moved to Port Royal , South Carolina . In all , one hundred and forty soldiers and officers lost their lives at the fort , probably mostly from the diseases . The fort ' s officer , Lt . Emmenes , writing the justification of the fort ' s evacuation , sited the unwholesome climate and the ineffectiveness of the fort ' s location . He stated that the fort would be no more useful to the safety of the colony if it had been " placed in Japan . " Writing with a clear hint of indignation , Massey complained about the poor provisions and indicated grave concern that the men may mutiny if " they have no hopes of being relieved . " Also , the fort was prone to periodic flooding which worsened conditions . Yamasee Indian raids were still occurring along the southern borders thus illustrating the failure of Fort King George ' s intent to secure the southern border . Six years after its establishment the fort was abandoned with two lookouts left behind . South Carolina colonists and officials were gravely disappointed and even more so alarmed by the diplomatic sensitivities it had flared . Until Georgia was settled , expansionists were determined to re - establish some settlement on the Altamaha . By 1730 , the issue of southern border defense had become an even more vexing and contentious one . Around this time , Governor Robert Johnson ordered that several towns be settled along the Altamaha in order to maintain Britain ' s claim to the area . Also , the South Carolina legislature relayed desires to have another fort or settlement built along the Altamaha . However , these measures never came to fruition . The demise of Fort King George once again brought an increase in anxieties over South Carolina ' s security . Though the outlook may have seemed disappointing , there were a few silver linings . Fort King George actually did serve the colony well , not for its effectiveness , because it was largely ineffective , but for what it taught British imperialists . First , the hardships suffered by the Company of " Invalids " at Fort King George taught imperialists the necessity of peopling the Altamaha with a young , tough , and hardy people . It was a harsh , dangerous environment that could not be tamed by the weak - of - heart or faint - in - design . Settlers there would have to be able to withstand a harsh seasoning period . Also , being so far removed from civilization , Altamaha settlers would have to be thrifty , self reliant , and industrious . Furthermore , these people would need incentives to develop a strong settlement and establish industry . Secondly , diplomatic entanglements with the Spanish over Fort King George shifted much focus away from the French and problems of western defense , and more toward defenses on the southern frontier . As such , there was a greater focus on protecting the colony with fortresses and settlements along the coastal area , especially the barrier islands and their surrounding inlets . This is why General Oglethorpe later borrowed from Barnwell ' s idea for a fort to be built on St . Simons Island , where Fort Frederica , Oglethorpe ' s military base , was constructed in 1736 . [ [ File : Plan Fort Frederica . PNG | thumb | The layout of Frederica and the town ' s fort , built in 1736 . Fort Frederica served as Oglethorpe ' s military headquarters during his stay in Georgia . ] ] Additionally , he added forts and settlements near Skidaway Island , near the mouth of the Ogeechee River , near the headwaters of the Altamaha , on Cumberland Island , and on Amelia Island . This coastal defense system was instrumental in the eventual successful defense of Georgia under Spanish attack in the 1740s . As such , the struggles and failures of Fort King George showed future empire builders a better way of defense , thus lending much credit to them for heeding the old [ [ adage ] ] , " those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it . " Oglethorpe and his fellow Georgians did not repeat the mistakes made in the handling of Fort King George , though they did largely stick to a similar plan of defense . However , the plan was implemented with a much more effective , well - planned , and well - supported strategy . Fort King George ' s legacy for Georgia . During Fort King George ' s existence and demise , the South Carolina Legislature , Governor , and other imperialists started developing other alternatives for defending the colony ' s vulnerable southern border . During the 1720s , Swiss gentleman , entrepreneur , and colonial adventurer [ [ Jean - Pierre de Pury ] ] started planning for a settlement of Swiss colonists in the area between the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers . Proclaiming its location to be in the Earth ' s ideal climate region , near 33 degrees latitude , he proposed that the name of the colony be Georgia . Though this settlement looked quite promising at first , it fell apart at the last moment due to a lack of adequate funding and support from the Proprietors . Eventually , however , Purry would settle [ [ Purrysburg , South Carolina | Purrysburg ] ] , but it would be after Georgia ' s founding , and it was positioned north of the Savannah River rather than south of it . However , though the project did fail , it was successful in drawing greater attention throughout England to the area , and proved especially enticing to English philanthropists looking to provide some sort of refuge for poor [ [ debtors ] ] . [ [ File : Gen james oglethorpe . jpg | thumb | left | General James Oglethorpe , founder of the colony of Georgia , borrowed heavily on lessons learned from Fort King George and its creators . ] ] This issue of defense coincided with a period of intense philanthropy in England . Certain members of Parliament and society aimed to improve the conditions of prisons in the country . One such gentleman , Sir James Edward Oglethorpe , while in Parliament , served on a committee to investigate conditions at prisons in the country . What he and his committee uncovered were horrific conditions . Many prisoners were released as a result , but left with no employment and bereft of any livelihood . Oglethorpe was also interested in colonization and in defending Great Britain ' s vast holdings in North America . From these two interests , the idea of Georgia was spawned . Once a group of Trustees was formed , they decided to use debtor - prisoners to people the colony of Georgia , which was to be nestled in the Savannah - Altamaha River region , formerly known as the Margravate of Azilla , based upon a previously failed settlement scheme in 1717 . This would allow them to escape the misfortune of Britain ' s harsh [ [ penal colony | penal ] ] code and poverty , and to start over in a new land while simultaneously serving a valuable function for the British Crown . However , by the time recruitment efforts were complete , and the ships were loaded for the voyage to Georgia , not a single colonists was in debt . In fact , most were middle class artisans and [ [ Master craftsman | craftsmen ] ] whose interests in starting life new abroad was so great , the earlier plan for a debtors ’ colony ended up being quite changed . Nevertheless , the colony was to be established as a haven for [ [ citizen - soldier ] ] s whose primary purpose was in defending the empire , while simultaneously contributing to her [ [ mercantilist ] ] economy as well with the production of cash crops , timber , furs , and naval stores . Lawyers were forbidden , for obvious reasons , as were [ slavery | slaves ] , for security reasons . The colony had many early growing pains that included a harsh seasoning period when many settlers died , struggles over whether to admit slaves , conflicts with South Carolina over fur trading rights , and disputes over everything from legalization of rum consumption to land rights . Still , Oglethorpe was quite adept at using his Native American neighbors to facilitate the colony ' s initial success . He was also quite savvy at using previous history as a guide . Oglethorpe knew he had to establish a successful settlement on the Altamaha and the surrounding areas . In 1735 he had Captain George Dunbar visit the ruins of Fort King George . Though his report on the site is vague ( it only talks about surveyor lines being laid out , probably done so by the soldiers earlier at Fort King George ) , Oglethorpe ' s later actions demonstrate his unhappiness with the site . Oglethorpe ordered the Highlanders to land at " Barnwell ' s Bluff " , but later moved the settlement about farther up - river , probably due to the periodic flooding of the bluff and its proximity to the marsh , something attributable to malarial outbreaks in this time period Also , though it is not stated in records , it stands to reason that Oglethorpe was familiar with the earlier hardships endured at Fort King George . He may even have read Barnwell ' s journal and other records indicating the difficulties of settling the site on the Altamaha . The intense climate and harsh natural surroundings along the Altamaha , coupled with history , compelled Oglethorpe to seek a resilient group of people to settle the area . Also , he knew he had to use good logistics in how he established his fortification system along this vast stretch of coast , and that the Altamaha settlement would be a crucial cornerstone of his system . The Georgia coast was as geologically unique in the early 18th century as it is to this day . Approximately one - third of the all marshlands found on the east coast lie in [ [ Colonial Coast | coastal Georgia ] ] , which dips away from the continental shelf considerably farther than any other section of eastern North America . This produces a funnel effect that causes Georgia ' s coastline to endure a greater concentration of tidal waters . The results are excessive fluctuations in tides , sometimes as high as 10 to 12 feet . Over years , this dramatic tidal shift has produced dynamic currents that have created a labyrinth of rivers , inlets , shoals , [ [ sounds ] ] , and sandbars contained behind ever - changing barrier islands . From a military perspective , due to its geographical complexity , the Georgia coast is the ideal place to build a defensive system . In part due to this , Oglethorpe chose to use the barrier islands to his advantage for his defenses south of the Altamaha . Fort Frederica was placed on the inside [ intercoastal waterway | intercoastal ] side of St . Simons Island . On the south end of the Island he also placed Fort St . Simons and Delegal ' s Fort . With these forts and the others positioned among the barrier islands , the main focus was to keep enemies out of the Altamaha river system . In an era long before highways , interstates , planes , or even adequate trails , controlling a river system was tantamount to controlling all the lands adjacent to it , and the region surrounding it . The Altamaha River bordered vast swamps full of valuable resources such as timber and precious [ [ pine sap ] ] for naval stores . Furthermore , it was a fine artery of travel far into the colony thus facilitating trade with distant Native American tribes . This is exactly why Oglethorpe was very careful in the people he chose to settle and defend the Altamaha . Oglethorpe ' s military experience and training had taught him that Scottish Highlanders were among the toughest people in the world . For generations they had forged a livelihood out of the mountainous ranges of the Highlands with its rocky , stubborn soils , and cruel weather patterns . The Scots had been united with the English into the United Kingdom since the [ [ Act of Union 1707 | Act of Union ] ] in 1707 however it was hardly a relationship of equals . Scottish people over many centuries had endured many abuses from the English . When they weren ' t being exploited at home , Scottish troops were often hired [ [ mercenaries ] ] used to fight British wars abroad . With their [ [ broadsword ] ] s , [ [ targe ] ] s ( pronounced targe , and used as a hand shield ) , and their [ [ dirk ] ] s , they were the finest [ [ hand to hand combat | hand - to - hand combatants ] ] in the world . Though clannish , often insular , and politically unstable at home , the Scots were a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield , a perfect ingredient for frontier defense in the wildernesses along the Georgia coast where conventional warfare was not going to be the norm . Thus , in late 1735 Oglethorpe sent Captain Dunbar and Lt . Hugh MacKay to the Highlands of Scotland to recruit potential settlers for Georgia ' s Altamaha frontier settlement . Many Scots were eager to come . Home life was rough due to English oppression and a feudal system that tied many Scottish families to small unproductive lands with limited opportunities ; But North America offered plenty of hope . To lure them , the Trustees offered each family allotments , something most Scotsmen never even dreamed of owning in their homeland . Also , [ [ recruiter ] ] s told the Scots each man would be armed with a [ [ flintlock | firelock ] ] , a broadsword , and an axe . Recently , the English had passed laws disarming the Scots and making it unlawful for them to bear their traditional weapons . They were also to be given cattle , farming implements , and seed for crops . 177 Scots boarded the " Prince of Wales " in November 1735 , en route to their new home in Georgia . Of these , most came from the Inverness area , and were a part of the [ [ Chattan Confederation ] ] . They consisted of McIntoshes , McDonalds , MacBeans , MacKays , Frasers , Forbes , Clarks , Baillies , Cameron , and a host of other traditional Highland clan names . They disembarked at Savannah in early January 1736 , and a short time later made their way to the new settlement on the Altamaha . Their settlement began at " Barnwell ' s Bluff " , near the old ruins of Fort King George . Oglethorpe visited the site the following February and was informed that the Scots had chosen to name their town Darien . This was to honor the previous Scottish settlement of [ [ Darien scheme | Darien ] ] that had occurred earlier on the Isthmus of Panama in 1695 , only to be subsequently destroyed by the Spanish . On his visit , Oglethorpe dressed in the traditional Highland kilt to show his respect for the Scots . As an additional show of respect , he refused comfortable sleeping quarters and preferred to sleep with the Highlander men out under a large Oak tree . One other issue probably addressed by Oglethorpe at this time was related to the place of settlement . He clearly must not have liked Lower Bluff where old Fort King George once was and at some point he ordered the Scots to move their town farther up the bluff ( the modern - day site of the Darien bridge ) . [ [ File : Oglethorpe Greeting the Highlanders of Darien . jpg | thumb | Drawing of Oglethorpe ' s historic visit among the Highlanders of Darien in February 1736 . Oglethorpe sought to make an impression by wearing a kilt . ] ] By the end of 1736 , the Scots had moved their town and it began to thrive . Though there were definitely hardships along the way , the Scots of Darien went on to be Georgia ' s most useful settlers . In the ensuing years they were integral in establishing a [ [ timber industry ] ] in Georgia as thousands of feet of lumber were shipped down the Altamaha River and processed at [ [ sawmill ] ] s in Darien . Also , key Scottish figures in Georgia were instrumental in establishing better trade relations with the Creek Native Americans . There were numerous other commercial and social contributions given by the Scots at Darien . However , their most crucial role was that of a military nature . When the Spanish invaded Georgia out of Florida in July 1742 , it was the Scots of Darien who were instrumental in defeating the Spanish at the Battle of Bloody Marsh on St . Simons Island , July 7 , 1742 . This successful battle helped bring to an end the struggle for empire in the Southeast and worked to cement Great Britain ' s hold on the area , as the Spanish never again really posed a serious threat to Georgia . Over the next many generations , the Scots of Darien branched out into other frontiers of North America . Today , many families of Scottish ancestry owe their existence in the United States to those Scots who came to Darien , Georgia , a major gateway of Scottish settlement in the colonial era . All these developments were made possible through the idea and existence of Fort King George . It served in some way as a blueprint toward the successful defense of Georgia , and consequently , inspired an economy and commerce that lent itself tremendously toward the colony ' s early success . Much of the colony ' s early structures were built out of cypress and [ [ Pinus classification | yellow pine ] ] cut from swamps along the Altamaha River . This industry in timber became a staple element of Georgia ' s economy throughout the colonial period and on into the 20th century . It is rather ironic though that Fort King George had to fail in order for Georgia to succeed . It was the lessons wrought from experiences at the frontier fort that helped guide Oglethorpe in his defensive efforts of the colony . Also , had Fort King George succeeded , the colony of South Carolina would have been expanded to the Altamaha River and South Carolina would have progressed from there , leaving little reason or justification for the colony of Georgia . Of even greater import are the lessons Fort King George taught about the type of settlers necessary on the Georgia frontier . When Oglethorpe and the Trustees developed plans for the colony , they envisaged a colony of citizen - soldiers whose dual roles of defense and development would achieve success . Though they did serve as soldiers , it was the early colonists ’ role as citizens that counted most toward the growth of the colony ' s commerce and economy . Families , as opposed to soldiers alone , proved more likely to develop a devout personal interest in defending their new home , especially as the economy developed and homesteads were established . Finally , the town of Darien owes its origins to Fort King George . The site is where the town and its sawmilling tradition began . Without Fort King George in the 1720s , the history of Darien may have been altogether different , or perhaps even non - existent . Fort King George Historic Site development . For nearly two centuries after its evacuation , little was written about or known of Fort King George . Occasionally , there are references to a " Barnwell ' s Bluff " , " Old Fort " , or " First Landing " , in the records , but Fort King George seemed to have faded into history . In the early 20th century there was groundbreaking research into the early history of the state , and much work was published about the early struggles for empire in the colonial era . In 1929 historian Verner Crane published his monumental book , " The Southern Frontier " , which comprehensively covered the period from 1670 to 1732 . Other works , such as Herbert Bolton and Mary Ross ' s " The Debatable Land " helped shed light on the military struggles of the Southeast during the colonial period . Also , a plethora of articles on Georgia ' s early colonial struggles were written during this period . Crane ' s work about the contentious southern frontier was the first to describe the context for Fort King George and Barnwell ' s scheme of settling the Altamaha River region . Sometime in the 1930s , Darien ' s local historian Bessie Lewis , then a history teacher , read Crane ' s monumental work . She made many trips to Charleston to study [ [ Public Record Office | British Public Records ] ] for information about the former Fort King George . Lewis , or " Miss Bessie " , as the locals fondly called her , discovered extensive material about the fort , including vital written records , descriptions , account ledgers , and several drawings with geographical details . This guided her in trying to locate the original site of the fort . [ [ excavation ( archaeology ) | Archeological excavation ] ] s conducted later helped substantiate her claims . During the first excavations on the site in the 1940s , more than one dozen soldiers ' graves were uncovered . Miss Bessie and other locals organized the Fort King George Association , and worked to have the site developed for a state [ [ historic site ] ] . In 1949 , the state acquired the fort site from the Sea Island Company , a development organization . The Association envisioned a site with a museum and re - constructed replica of Fort King George , but little development took place . In the 1950s , the state installed a monument and headstones in the soldiers ’ cemetery , and a few picnic tables . The Association continued to lobby for reconstruction of the fort . In the late 1960s , the [ [ Georgia Historical Commission ] ] acquired the site . Money was allotted for building a museum in 1967 , and Fort King George Historic Site became a reality . In 1972 , the site was taken over by the Department of Natural Resources , Parks , Recreation , and Historic Sites Division . In 1987 , the site manager Ken Akins and the [ [ Lower Altamaha Historical Society ] ] teamed up in a drive to raise money to re - construct the fort ' s blockhouse . With a matching fund from the [ [ Georgia Department of Natural Resources | DNR ] ] , the fort ' s reconstructed blockhouse was completed and dedicated in fall 1988 . It was the center of the site ' s activities and programs until development in the late 1990s . Georgia State Senator [ [ Renee Kemp ] ] , from 1999 to 2002 , helped gain several hundred thousand dollars in capital investment for the site to reconstruct the fort ' s enlisted soldiers ’ barracks , guardhouse , and officers ’ quarters . Site staff re - constructed the fort ' s firing walls and firing steps . Over the years , site staff has added various other features . In 2004 , with the installation of the fort ' s front and back gates , the fort was officially declared to be entirely re - constructed , something Miss Bessie had dreamed of more than five decades earlier but not lived to see . Fort King George Historic Site has become one of Georgia ' s premier tourist attractions , with more than 30 , 000 visitors annually . Site personnel provide a wide range of living history programs dealing with Colonial Life and [ [ Military Science ] ] . [ [ Category : Forts in Georgia ( U . S . state ) | King George ] ] Sources cited . [ [ Category : History of the Thirteen Colonies ] ] [ [ Category : Military facilities on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia ( U . S . state ) ] ] [ [ Category : State parks of Georgia ( U . S . state ) ] ] [ [ Category : History museums in Georgia ( U . S . state ) ] ] [ [ Category : Museums in McIntosh County , Georgia ] ] [ [ Category : Military and war museums in Georgia ( U . S . state ) ] ] [ [ Category : Government buildings completed in 1721 ] ] [ [ Category : Infrastructure completed in 1721 ] ] [ [ Category : British forts in the United States | King George ] ] [ [ Category : Colonial forts in Georgia ( U . S . state ) | King George ] ] [ [ Category : Protected areas established in 1949 ] ] [ [ Category : Protected areas of McIntosh County , Georgia ] ]