Travel to Mobile Point today and you can travel back in time to the era of the fortress. At lands end 22 miles from the heart of Gulf Shores rests an amazing example of man’s attempt to wage “modern” warfare: Fort Morgan. The fort and its surrounding gun emplacements are a tribute to an almost forgotten time when laying siege to a fortification and, in turn, the protection of that fortification, were part of an art form. Strategy, as much as brute force, was integral to both maintaining the integrity of the fort through an ample defense and to undermining that stability through an effective assault. Fort Morgan saw both in an effective lifespan that carried it from the Civil War through World War II. Most residents of Baldwin County are at least partially aware of the long history of Fort Morgan. However, many residents are not aware of the importance of Mobile Point in the early 19th century prior to the construction of the brick fort. The same sight that witnessed the bold charge of Farragut’s fleet through the Mobile ship channel under the fire of the fort also was the sight of, not one, but two attacks by the British during the War of 1812.

These attacks took place in September of 1814 and again in February 1815 long after the war had been concluded by the Treaty of Ghent. The first attempt failed but as the British made their way east along the coast after their defeat at the hands of Gen. Andrew Jackson in New Orleans they sought revenge at Mobile Point. The September attack floundered after the naval assault proved fruitless. In the end, the American forces under the command of Maj. William Lawrence were able to withstand the bombardment and force off the British attack.

The installation under Lawrence’s command was not the familiar Fort Morgan, but an earlier wooden structure completed in 1813. The sand and log construction was built under the supervision of Colonel John Bowyer and named in his honor. Mobile Point had previously been under the control of the Spanish prior to the War of 1812 but had been brought under control of the United States in an effort to bolster the country’s ability to protect its frontier. In August 1814 the fort, which had been abandoned earlier that same year, was re-manned troops under the authority of Maj. Lawrence who was on hand during the first British attack.

The British had hoped that a successful attack on Fort Bowyer would allow them to control Mobile and send men inland in an attempt to circle New Orleans from the north. They would have been able to cut off New Orleans from the rest of the United States effectively blocking trade into the region stagnating it. On Sept. 12, the British Captain William Percy led an attack on the fort at the head of at least four British war ships. Some nine miles east of the fort, a British land force of royal marines aided by a Spanish contingent and some 600 Indians set out to attack the fort by land.

While the 120 Americans inside the fort held off the land attack the guns of the fort exchanged volleys with the British naval vessels. On Sept. 15, the British fleet was lead across the bar into the bay by Percy. The British ship HMS Hermes ran aground during the attack and was abandoned. Percy had her set on fire and the ship later exploded when the fire reach the powder magazine on board. That incident and the impending darkness of evening prompted Percy to pull back into the bay out of the range of Bowyers guns. The next morning the fleet sailed out of the bay and the British land force was retrieved. As a result, Mobile was abandoned as a strategic target and the focus was then placed on capturing New Orleans.

The resulting attack on New Orleans turned out to be an even bigger disaster for the British, ending in a humiliating defeat at the hands of Andrew Jackson and American forces. Afterwards the British attention then again turned towards Mobile and Fort Bowyer. Interestingly enough the battle at New Orleans and the subsequent siege of Fort Bowyer came after the War of 1812 had officially ended with the Treaty of Ghent signed on Christmas Eve 1814. News of the treaty was painfully slow in reaching the outlying regions including New Orleans and Mobile and thus the fighting continued.

In their second attempt at Fort Bowyer, the British were much more meticulous in their preparation. The attack began with a land based siege that incorporated some 1400 British soldiers equipped with artillery. Maj. Lawrence, terribly outnumbered and out maneuvered, surrendered the fort after a horrific five-day siege. After securing Fort Bowyer the British began preparations for the attack on Mobile when news of the wars end arrived. Soon afterward, the British withdrew and left Fort Bowyer in American hands once again. In the end, the last land engagement between British and American troops in the War of 1812 took place right here in Baldwin County at Mobile Point.

Today, there is nothing left to discern the location of Fort Bowyer, however, its position at the point is most likely north of Fort Morgan and partially, if not completely, submerged. Nothing remains except the memory of the brave men that fought and died in a forgotten battle at the end of a forgotten war.

Fort Bowyer

Travel to Mobile Point today and you can travel back in time to the era of the fortress. At lands end 22 miles from the heart of Gulf Shores rests an amazing example of man’s attempt to wage “modern” warfare: Fort Morgan. The fort and its surrounding gun emplacements are a tribute to an almost forgotten time when laying siege to a fortification and, in turn, the protection of that fortification, were part of an art form. Strategy, as much as brute force, was integral to both maintaining the integrity of the fort through an ample defense and to undermining that stability through an effective assault. Fort Morgan saw both in an effective lifespan that carried it from the Civil War through World War II.  Most residents of Baldwin County are at least partially aware of the long history of Fort Morgan. However, many residents are not aware of the importance of Mobile Point in the early 19th century prior to the construction of the brick fort.  The same sight that witnessed the bold charge of Farragut’s fleet through the Mobile ship channel under the fire of the fort also was the sight of, not one, but two attacks by the British during the War of 1812.

These attacks took place in September of 1814 and again in February 1815 long after the war had been concluded by the Treaty of Ghent. The first attempt failed but as the British made their way east along the coast after their defeat at the hands of Gen. Andrew Jackson in New Orleans they sought revenge at Mobile Point. The September attack floundered after the naval assault proved fruitless. In the end, the American forces under the command of Maj. William Lawrence were able to withstand the bombardment and force off the British attack.

The installation under Lawrence’s command was not the familiar Fort Morgan, but an earlier wooden structure completed in 1813. The sand and log construction was built under the supervision of Colonel John Bowyer and named in his honor. Mobile Point had previously been under the control of the Spanish prior to the War of 1812 but had been brought under control of the United States in an effort to bolster the country’s ability to protect its frontier. In August 1814 the fort, which had been abandoned earlier that same year, was re-manned troops under the authority of Maj. Lawrence who was on hand during the first British attack.

The British had hoped that a successful attack on Fort Bowyer would allow them to control Mobile and send men inland in an attempt to circle New Orleans from the north. They would have been able to cut off New Orleans from the rest of the United States effectively blocking trade into the region stagnating it. On Sept. 12, the British Captain William Percy led an attack on the fort at the head of at least four British war ships. Some nine miles east of the fort, a British land force of royal marines aided by a Spanish contingent and some 600 Indians set out to attack the fort by land.

While the 120 Americans inside the fort held off the land attack the guns of the fort exchanged volleys with the British naval vessels. On Sept. 15, the British fleet was lead across the bar into the bay by Percy. The British ship HMS Hermes ran aground during the attack and was abandoned. Percy had her set on fire and the ship later exploded when the fire reach the powder magazine on board. That incident and the impending darkness of evening prompted Percy to pull back into the bay out of the range of Bowyers guns. The next morning the fleet sailed out of the bay and the British land force was retrieved. As a result, Mobile was abandoned as a strategic target and the focus was then placed on capturing New Orleans.

The resulting attack on New Orleans turned out to be an even bigger disaster for the British, ending in a humiliating defeat at the hands of Andrew Jackson and American forces.  Afterwards the British attention then again turned towards Mobile and Fort Bowyer. Interestingly enough the battle at New Orleans and the subsequent siege of Fort Bowyer came after the War of 1812 had officially ended with the Treaty of Ghent signed on Christmas Eve 1814. News of the treaty was painfully slow in reaching the outlying regions including New Orleans and Mobile and thus the fighting continued.

In their second attempt at Fort Bowyer, the British were much more meticulous in their preparation. The attack began with a land based siege that incorporated some 1400 British soldiers equipped with artillery. Maj. Lawrence, terribly outnumbered and out maneuvered, surrendered the fort after a horrific five-day siege. After securing Fort Bowyer the British began preparations for the attack on Mobile when news of the wars end arrived. Soon afterward, the British withdrew and left Fort Bowyer in American hands once again. In the end, the last land engagement between British and American troops in the War of 1812 took place right here in Baldwin County at Mobile Point. 

Today, there is nothing left to discern the location of Fort Bowyer, however, its position at the point is most likely north of Fort Morgan and partially, if not completely, submerged. Nothing remains except the memory of the brave men that fought and died in a forgotten battle at the end of a forgotten war.