Fort Gilmer, Georgia
N 34° 39.656 W 084° 42.538
16S E 709938 N 3837830
Fort Gilmer was one of the Cherokee Indian removal forts in Georgia. A historical marker located near the former site of the Fort is located on Old US 411 four miles north of Carters, Georgia.
Waymark Code: WM5EMK
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 12/28/2008
Views: 10
The historical marker reads as follows:
One hundred yards east is the site of Fort Gilmer, built in 1838 to garrison U.S. troops ordered to enforce the removal from this region of the last Cherokee Indians under terms of the New Echota treaty of 1833.
One of seven such forts erected in the Cherokee territory, Gilmer was the temporary headquarters of Gen. Winfield Scott, under whose command the removal was effected. The reluctant Indians were brought here and guarded until the westward march began.
From the Georgia Trail of Tears website:
One of fifteen roundup posts in Georgia, Gilmer is also one of ten that were stockaded and one of five located on the Federal Road. The fort may have been established as early as March 1837 when Capt. William Derrick and a mounted detachment of 50 men were sent from Ft. Wool to Coosawattee to capture Creek Indians who had sought refuge there. The detachment remained for nearly two weeks. Their post was referred to as "Coosawattee."
Ft. Gilmer may have housed as many as four companies, making it one of the two most densely occupied of the Georgia posts. Capt. Charles W. Bond of Franklin County commanded a mounted company at Coosawattee and was joined by Maj. Bluefield Venable and a second company. The companies of Capts. John Horton of Jackson County and Sherif Brewster of Walton County were also sent to Ft. Gilmer.
On May 31, Maj. Venable reported 109 Indians sent from Ft. Gilmer to Ross’s Landing; and on June 5 he reported 225 [additional? total?] Indians sent from Ft. Gilmer to Ross’s Landing.