Lower St. Johns River Area

Last Update: 06/JANUARY/2007

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2007 American Forts Network

Fort Tonyn
(1776 - 1778), near King's Ferry
A British fort located on the St. Mary's River about one mile east of Mills Ferry (Kings Ferry). Captured by Patriot forces in 1778.
(thanks to Michael Higgins for providing correct location)

Fort Barrington
(1765 - unknown), King's Ferry
A British post on the St. Mary's River. Possibly still in use during the American Revolution.

Fort McIntosh
(1777 - 1780 ?), near King's Ferry
A British fort located south of King's Ferry on the old Oakland Plantation. The "Battle of Cabbage Swamp" was fought here in 1778.
(NOTE: not to be confused with Patriot Fort McIntosh on the Satilla River in GA)

Rose's Bluff Camp
(1778, 1811 - 1813), Nassau County
A Loyalist militia camp during the American Revolution. Also used as the headquarters of the so-called "Patriots" during the "Patriots' War". Located on the St. Mary's River.

Camp Pinckney
(1864), Nassau County
A CSA post and depot located on Little Front Creek, near the St. Mary's River, between Orange Bluff and Calico Hill.

Camp Jackson (3)
(1864), Nassau County
A CSA post located at an old railroad trestle across the St. Mary's River (near St. George, GA ?), west of Jacksonville.

Camp Baldwin
(1862 - 1864), Baldwin
A CSA camp.

Camp Milton
(1862 - 1864), near Whitehouse
A CSA fortified camp established on McGirt's Creek, 12 miles west of downtown Jacksonville. Destroyed by Union troops in 1864.

Camp Langford
(1861 - 1862, 1864), Duval County ?
A CSA camp located somewhere near Jacksonville.

San Vicente Ferrer Battery
(1793 - 1800 ?), East Jacksonville
A Spanish gun battery on the south bank of the St. Johns River, near Chaseville, with two barracks and a powder magazine. Undetermined location. Apparently abandoned before the "Patriots' War" of 1812.

Fort San Nicolas
(1740 - 1763, 1784 - 1820's), South Jacksonville
A Spanish blockhouse built in anticipation of a British attack. Located at the foot of present-day Liberty Street, about a mile east from the old ferry landing ("Cowford"). Probably not used at all by the British. Rebuilt by the Spanish in 1784, with a 100-foot square moat. The barracks and Officers' Quarters were located outside the moat. Attacked by the Georgia state militia in 1796, but later rebuilt. With a garrison of only three men, it was captured and destroyed again in 1812 during the "Patriots' War". Rebuilt again later. Maintained for a few years by the Americans after 1821 to prevent smuggling. A stone monument is located three miles east of US 1.

Camp New Hope
(1812 - 1813), South Jacksonville
A GA militia camp at the Hollingsworth Plantation near the "Cowford" crossing on the St. Johns River. Used in support of the short-lived "Republic of East Florida" during the "Patriots' War".

Civil War Defenses of Jacksonville
(1863 - 1864), Jacksonville
Fort Montgomery a temporary Union post guarding the railroad terminal in the city.
Fort Higginson a temporary Union post guarding the railroad terminal in the city. Located at Broad and Bay Streets.
Fort Foster (3) (1864) a Union fort. Location undetermined.
Fort Hatch a Union fort. Location undetermined.
Jacksonville Defense Line (1864) a line of breastworks was constructed by the Union after retreating to the city after the 1864 "Battle of Olustee". Located from Hogan's Creek to near Union and Beaver Streets, then west to Davis Street, then southwest to McCoy's Creek. There were seven batteries built within the line: Redoubt Sammon (four guns), Battery Myrick (field guns), Redoubt Fribley (five guns), Redoubt (Battery) McCrea (two guns), Redoubt Reed (four guns), Battery Hamilton (nine guns), and Redoubt Moore near the cemetery.

Camp Cuba Libre
(1898 - 1899), Jacksonville
A Spanish-American War assembly and staging camp, originally located between Ionia Street and the railroad, between 3rd and 8th Streets. Typhoid Fever and flooding forced the relocation to 5th and Silver Streets. Overcrowding then forced the relocation again to near Phoenix Park and Cummer's Mill, north of a cemetery. One source references Camp Panama Park about six miles north of downtown.

Camp Joseph Johnston
(Jacksonville Naval Air Station)
(1917 - 1939/present), Jacksonville
A Quartermaster Corps training encampment and mobilization center at Black Point on the St. Johns River near Yukon. Previously the site of a Florida National Guard summer encampment area. Reverted back to state control in 1920 and renamed Camp Clifford Foster as a state guard training area. Became part of Jacksonville Naval Air Station in 1939.

Fort Stallings
(1812), near Bayard
A GA militia blockhouse on Big Davis Creek used in the "Patriots' War".

Fort Magnolia
(1860's), Magnolia
A Union fort located on Magnolia Point, about one-half mile north of Green Cove Springs.

St. Johns River Ferry Forts
(1700 - 1780 ?, 1812), Picolata, Walkill
Fort Picolata (1700 - 1780 ?), at Picolata, and Fort San Francisco de Pupo (aka St. Francis de Pupo) (1714 - 1783 ?), near Walkill on Bayard Point, were built opposite each other across the St. Johns River at the site of an old Indian crossing, and the crossing of the Spanish Camino Real from St. Augustine to the Apalachee Province (Tallahassee). Both forts were attacked and destroyed by the Georgia colonial militia in 1740. Both were rebuilt in 1743 as 30-foot two-story square coquina towers, palisaded and moated, with eight guns each. Occupied intermittently by British troops after 1763. The Picolata tower, although seemingly no longer in use by the Spanish, was occupied by "Patriots" in 1812 during the "Patriots' War".

The Spanish Franciscan Tolomato Mission (1) (1656 - 1706) was located at Picolata until relocated to St. Augustine. Salamototo (1), palisaded in 1704, was also located in the vicinity until 1706 when relocated to St. Augustine. San Francisco de Potano (3) was relocated to Salamototo (1) briefly in 1706 before relocating again to St. Augustine. San Diego de Heleca (1620's - 1656 ?) was probably located at or near Tocoi. This area was part of the Spanish Agua Dulce Province, that area around the lower St. Johns River from Lake George to Jacksonville.

Fort Buena Vista ?
(1812), near Pecan
A settlers' blockhouse located six miles north of Rollestown, one mile south of "Little Grove Plantation".

Mission de San Antonio de Enecape
(Mt. Royal Archaeological Site)
(1595 - 1656 ?), near Georgetown
A Spanish Franciscan mission in the Agua Dulce Province. Located at the Timucua-Outina Indian village of Enecape, it was not known to be fortified. It seems to have been abandoned during the Timucua Rebellion of 1656. Listed here for historical interest only.

Seminole Wars Forts
(includes those forts and posts not already listed above)

Duval County:
Fort Louthers (1837), north of Jacksonville. (undetermined location)
Fort Jacksonville (1836 - 1851), a settlers' log blockhouse located at Ocean and Monroe Streets. Used as a church after the Seminole Wars.
James McCormick's Blockhouse (1840), about ten miles west of Jacksonville. A settlers' blockhouse, attacked at least once.
Fort Mandarin (1837), Mandarin. A Federal blockhouse.

St. Johns County: (west of I-95)
Fort New Switzerland (1835), Switzerland. A settlers' blockhouse.
Picolata Post (1836 - 1842, 1860's), Picolata. A Federal blockhouse, and a military hospital, located one mile north of Magnolia Landing. Used by Union troops in the Civil War.
Fort Searle (1839 - 1841), near Bakersville, six miles east of Picolata.
Fort Weedman (1837 - 1840), located about seven miles west of St. Augustine. Attacked in 1840. Also spelled Weadman.
Fort Hanson (1840), located 13 miles southwest of St. Augustine, at the headwaters of Deep Creek (near Byrd ?).

Flagler County:
Fort Caben (1830's), on Crescent Lake, two miles west of St. Johns Park.

Putnam County:
Fort Gates (1835), Fort Gates, on the west-side of the St. Johns River near Fruitland, four miles south of the mouth of the Ocklawaha River. A supply depot.
Fort Gale (unknown dates), southwest of Palatka (undetermined location).
Fort Lawson (1) (1839), four miles southwest of Palatka, with one blockhouse.
Fort Hunter (1840), Rollestown, one and one-half miles south of Palatka on the St. Johns River.
Fort Shannon (1838 - 1843), Palatka. A major Army Quartermaster Depot, with eight blockhouses, several barracks, a hospital, and stables for 400 horses. Possibly also known as Fort Palatka. A trading post was established here in 1821, burned by Seminoles in 1836.
Fort New Buena Vista (1836), East Palatka, a settlers' blockhouse.
Fort Brown (1840), ten miles northeast of Palatka on the St. Johns River. Post transferred to Fort Searle.
Fort Moccason Branch (1837), near Orange Mills.
Fort Hudson (1830's), located near Orange Mills.

Clay County:
Camp Augusta (1836), near Walkill.
Fort Bayard (1837, 1843), near Walkill. (possibly the same as Camp Augusta)
Fort Heileman (1836 - 1841), on Black Creek, near Middleburg. Originally named Garey's Ferry Fort in 1836. It was the Army's Quartermaster Supply Depot. Also spelled Heilman. Located near here on the north bank of Black Creek, near Garey's Ferry, was Fort Sanderson (1840 - 1841). Also near here was Black Creek Arsenal (1837 - 1840), previously named Garey's Ferry Ordnance Depot, a local depot where the Army's muskets were repaired. Artifacts are on display at the Clay County and Middleburg Museum. (info provided by Thom Parham, additional info by Marshall Sitrin)
Camp Browne (1) (1842), on Black Creek.

NEED MORE INFO:
Towns: Stockade north of Bayard, Duval County.

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