Fort Shannon
Fort Shannon (1838-1843) - A U.S. Army post established in 1838 during the Second Seminole War in present day Palatka, Putnam County, Florida. Named for Captain Samuel Shannon, Quartermaster Department. Abandoned in 1843. May have been known as Fort Palatka.
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Fort Shannon History
In 1835, after the start of the Second Seminole War hostile Seminole Indians attacked and burned the town of Pilatka. The US Army established Fort Shannon there in May 1838 as one of a string of forts protecting the strategic St. Johns River. The post was a Quartermaster depot and included eight blockhouses, a large barracks, stables for 400 horses and a hospital. Fort Shannon operated under Colonel William J. Worth until his promotion in 1842 to brevet brigadier general and his assumption of command of the armies of Florida. Fort Shannon was abandoned by the U.S. Army on 24 Aug 1843 after the Seminole had left the area.
Current Status
Marker and the restored 1838 Officers Quarters building, Putnam County, Florida. The restored 1838 Officers Quarters building houses the Putnam Historic Museum home of the Putnam County Historical Society. This building is probably the only surviving Second Seminole War intact building in Florida. The fort map marker is the probable location of the fort.
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Location: Palatka, Putnam County, Florida. Map point is 1838 Officers Quarters building. Maps & Images Lat: 29.647483 Long: -81.630317 |
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 207
Links:
- North American Forts - Fort Shannon
- Wikipedia - Palatka Florida
- Waymarking - Fort Shannon
- Putnam County Historical Society Web Site
- Southern History - Putnam County
Visited: 5 Mar 2012
Fort Shannon Picture Gallery
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