The military structure of the United States during the War of 1812 is to say the least confusing. One must consider the recent past of the United States to fully understand why. The 2nd and 3rd Amendments of the constitution speak to American concerns about a large standing army in the midst. The Revolution was still a memory to many citizens in 1812 and the remembrance of a standing army causes some concern among the general public. As a result of those concerns and the policies of recent president Thomas Jefferson, the US Army is a small force as the War of 1812 began. One place in Georgia that did have a large military presence was St. Mary’s, GA in Camden County. Fort Peter (or Petre) was the home to the 3rd largest collection of gunboats in the US fleet. This was a result of S. Mary’s being the last American town before Spanish Florida or the Creek Nation. This fleet existed to enforce the perennial High School favorite, the Non-Intercourse acts. Also stationed at the Fort was a company of the 1st US Rifle Regiment which carried the Harper’s Ferry Rifle shipped from the banks of the Shenandoah.

Keeping to the tradition of the revolution, the state of Georgia was divided into militia regiments. The areas of Franklin and Jackson Counties was part of the 25th and 26th Militia Regiments. Although the actual diving lines of the regiments are somewhat blurred, these were the organizations that staffed the American Army in North Georgia during the War of 1812. As the War progressed, the differences within each state resulted in poor troop organization and inability to properly organize military operations. President Madison recognized these issues and prompted his allies in Congress to push through a bill that would reorganize the State Militias for Federal service. In that 1814 bill, the troop sizes were normalized and the reporting structure was standardized. Each regiment was to have 10 companies with 80-120 men in each company. Of those companies, one was to be a light company of skirmishers and one was to be a company of riflemen. Jackson and Franklin Counties were part of the 4th Regiment of Georgia’s allotment, Jackson was assigned to be the rifle company. The 4th regiment was commanded by Booth, he reported to Major Tandy Key, then Colonel Buell, then, General Daniel who commanded the 4th Division.

The challenge at Fort Daniel is that the reorganization occurred while the Fort was under construction. We know from past discovered documents that the Fort was ordered to be constructed via State Authority. To fulfill that order, the regimental commanders created a “detached” portion of militia to build and staff the Forts. This meant that some troops could elect to serve 60 days in building and staffing the Forts in lieu of serving the required six months in the regiments of the line. An example of the conflict can be found in Jacob Braselton’s letter to Governor Troup dated January 14th, 1827. Braselton wanted to apply for a pension, but he only served sixty days at “the fort at Hog Mountain” instead of the standard six months as usually required. Situations like this forced Congress to reduce the requirement of service to 60 days to be eligible for a War of 1812 pension. In letters to the Governor during 1814, the need for all the forts were questioned. Fort Daniel was needed as the start of the military road to Fort Peachtree, but the others were not as necessary for protection, and they drew away needed soldiers.

Another option for male citizens at the time was to join the regular US Army. Recruits joined the army from as close as Jefferson in Jackson County during the War. General Pickney was in charge of the US 6th and 7th districts as the War began and he commanded those territories from Charleston, SC and Fort Hawkins. The 43rd US Army regiment was the closest regular Army unit to Fort Daniel. In each regiment a number of “recruiting” officers were commissioned. Their role was not field command, but they travelled the countryside soliciting men to enlist. Once they enlisted, men were sent to a central depot for consolidation in companies. The initial depot for the 43rd was Washington, GA in Wilkes County. The Colonel of the regiment, Nicholas Long lived in Washington, Georgia and thus its initial headquarters. The majority of the unit’s men were sent to Salisbury, NC, Charleston, SC, and around the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. A small unit of 20 privates, 2 non-commissioned officers, and a Lieutenant names George Gilmer were tasked to the Chattahoochee. This group was ordered to build a fort at Standing Peachtree to anchor a road that started at Fort Daniel. This was a Federal army unit. It belonged to the company commanded by Captain Edward Tattnall. These men probably saw Fort Daniel as they travelled. The arms for the militia at Fort Daniel were stored at Major Tandy Key’s House. According to his report to the governor, the smoothbore 1795 pattern muskets were not in good order and only 70 of the 150 had been cleaned. For soldiers who had not brought their own rifles to the fort, it was a bad spot to be in.

As Gilmer led his men by Fort Daniel he was passing a state fortification. Following the Peachtree road, he was on Federal orders to build Fort Peachtree. The men at Fort Daniel reported to Captain Wharton, who reported to Key, who reported to Booth, who reported to General Daniel, who reported to the General of the Georgia Militia, either Floyd or McIntosh. Gilmer would report to Captain Tattnall, to Colonel Nicholas Long, then General Pickney. Two parallel reporting structures existed side by side.

After the Red Stick Creeks were defeated the need for frontier forts were greatly reduced. Meanwhile at Point Peter, the British were planning an invasion. Colonel Jack of the 8th US Army regiment was planning a defense. Prior to accepting that role, he was the general in charge of the 4th Division of Georgia Militia, the position now held by General Allen Daniel. Colonel Jack requested that Gilmer and his men reinforce Point Peter with his garrison. Aside from local militia, Jack had only a few regular line infantry and some of the US Army rifles to defend the point. The point fell in January to a British assault.

As the War of 1812 played out in Georgia, the Militia was reorganized into standard military sizes to meet Madison’s demands. Some small detachments were sent to man outlying forts. The US Army was an option for many men, but required a longer enlistment and the probability of exposure to real fighting. The militia and the regular army reporting through two separate and parallel lines that met at General Pickney as the commander of the military district.