Fort Means

Fort Means (1838-1838) - A Trail of Tears Cherokee removal fort first established in 1838 near Rome, Floyd County, Georgia. Named Fort Means after Captain John S. Means, first commander of the post. Abandoned in 1838. History of Fort Means Established in May 1838 as a Cherokee removal fort by Captain John S. Means and one mounted company. A total of 467 Cherokee prisoners were moved from Fort Means to Ross’s Landing. The remnants of the Cherokee Nation were rounded up in 1838 by Federal forces and Georgia Militia and pressed into military stockades for eventual removal to reservations in the western Indian Territory. U.S. General Winfield Scott oversaw the operation but lacked control over the militia units. Some 7,000 U.S. Soldiers and Georgia Militia forced some 15,000 Cherokee Indians into stockades and held them for removal. The condition were terrible in the stockades and on the trail to the Indian Territory and many of the Cherokees died before reaching the new reservations. As many as 4,000 Cherokees may have died in the stockades and on the 800 mile journey west. The removal process and the conditions of removal came to be known as the "Trail of Tears". This post abandoned about 30 Jun 1838. Current Status No remains in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Near the intersection Reynolds Bend Rd SE and Branson Road SE near Rome, Floyd County, Georgia. Maps & Images Lat: 34.245176 Long: -85.05865 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' See Also: Trail of Tears Forts Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 229 USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1877590 Links: North American Forts - Fort Means NPS - Cherokee Removal From Georgia Georgia Trail of Tears Forts - Fort Means Visited: No