Fort Loudoun (2)
Fort Loudoun (2) (1756-1760) - A British Colonial French & Indian War fort established in 1756 near present day Vonore, Monroe County, Tennessee. Named for John Campbell, fourth Earl of Loudoun. Besieged by hostile Indians, surrendered to and burned down by hostile Indians in 1760.
History of Fort Loudoun (2)
Established in 1756 by General Andrew Lewis, chief engineer of the British troops as the first structure built in present day Tennessee. Built at the request of the Overhill Indians for protection from the French during the French & Indian War.
Fort Loudoun was built as a large diamond-shaped defense, palisaded with a bastion at each angle and a raveline at the entrance. It was surrounded by a dry moat.
Hostile Indians laid siege to the fort in February 1760 and after seven months the garrison was forced to surrender with a promise of safe passage to Fort Prince George. The Indians reneged, killing some of the survivors and taking the remainder hostage. The hostages were later ransomed and delivered to Fort Prince George. The fort was burned to the ground by the Indians and was not rebuilt.
The fort site was rediscovered and excavated in the 1930s. The WPA began restoration of parts of the fort in 1937 and the restoration was completed in the 1960s.
Current Status
Fort Loudoun State Historical Park, Vonore, Monroe County, Tennessee.
USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1308293
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Location: Near Vonore, Monroe County, Tennessee. Maps & Images Lat: 35.59647 Long: -84.20269 |
See Also:
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 742-743.
Links:
- (2) North American Forts - Fort Loudoun
- "Old Fort Loudon" (Tennessee Historical Magazine, Vol. III, No. 4, pp250‑256)
- Wikipedia
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