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FORT MERCER. Lowell, The Hessians in the Revolution (New York, 1884).

FORT MIFF'LIN. A fort on Mud Island, in the Delaware River, near the mouth of the Schuj^lkill River. It is one of the defenses of the city of Philadelphia, and in American history is well known for its siege and capture by the British during the Revolutionary War. To' gether with Fort Mercer ( q.v. ), on the New Jersey shore^ it controlled the approach by water to Philadelphia, and when that city was cap- tured by Sir William Howe, in 1777, shut the British off from communication with their fleet, and obstructed the passage of supplies. On Oc- tober 23d it was bombarded for several hours, but with little effect, by a British fleet, assisted by a land battery, an American fleet (called the Pennsylvania Navy), under Col. John Hazel- wood, cooperating with the fort, which was then garrisoned by only 300 men, under Col. Samuel Smith. Finally, the British erected a strong battery on Province Island, and greatly reinforced their fleet. On the 10th of November they again attacked, and after an almost constant bombard- ment for six days the Americans evacuated the fort and crossed over to Fort Mercer. An extended account of Fort Mifflin during the Revolution is given in Wallace, An Old Philadelphian, Colonel William Bradford (Philadelphia, 1884). Consult also Dawson, Battles of the United States (New York, 1858).

FORT MIMS, Massacre of. An Indian mas- sacre on August 30, 1813, during the Creek War, at Fort Mims, a temporary stockade 35 miles north of Mobile, Ala. On the outbreak of the war, 553 men, women, and children had assembled here for protection, under the command of Dixon Bailey; but were surprised by a greatly superior force of Indians, under the half-breed Weathers- ford, at noon on August 30th, and, though they offered brave resistance, all of them were killed, exceept 15 who escaped, and a few negroes and half-breeds, who were taken prisoners. Consult: Pickett, History of Alabama, vol. ii. (Charleston, 1851) ; Lossing, Field Book of the War of 1812 (New York, 1869) ; and Dawson, Battles of the United States (New Y'ork, 1858).

FORT MONROE'. A United States military post, situated at Old Point Comfort, Elizabeth City County, Va., and commanding the entrance to Hampton Roads. There is a post-office and telegraph station at the post, which includes a reservation of 282 acres. The station of the Artillery School (postgraduate), with quarters for 50 officers and 600 men, is located here. For two years after the close of the Civil W^ar Jef- ferson Davis (q.v.) was imprisoned here.

FORT MONTGOMERY. A fort on the Hud- son, near West Point, intended to close the river against the British fleet in 1777.

FORT MOR'GAN. A United States military post in Alabama, occupying a reservation of 322 acres on Mobile Point, the eastern entrance to Mobile Bay, 33 miles from Mobile. The post- office is Mobile, and there is a telegraph station at the post. The garrison in 1002 consisted of two companies of coast artillery. See Mobile Point.

FORT MOULTRIE, mol'tri. A fort on Sulli- van's Island, at the entrance to Charleston Har- bor, notable for its defense against the British in

the Revolutionary War. In the summer of 1776 Sir Peter Parker, with a fleet, and Sir Henry Clinton, with a force of British regulars, pro- ceeded to Charleston Harbor for the purpose of taking Charleston, and of using that place as a base of operations against the Southern Colonies. A total American force of about 6500 had as- sembled for the defense of Charleston, of which 435, under Col. William Moultrie, were sta- tioned in an unfinished fort, then known as Fort Sullivan, at the eastern end of Sullivan's Island. On June 28th Sir Henry Clinton took up a posi- tion on the sand-bank near Sullivan's Island, with the intention of crossing over and making a land attack. Meanwhile Sir Peter Parker, with his fleet, made a vigorous attack on the fort ; but, after an artillery duel lasting almost ten hours, was forced to withdraw. Owing to the depth of the shoals, through which he had expected to reach Sullivan's Island, Clinton was detained on the sand-bank, and virtually took no part in the engagement. The effect of the victory was to insure the Southern States from invasion for al- most two years. Subsequently the name of the fort was changed to Fort Moultrie. On May 7, 1780, a short time before the capture of Charles- ton by the British, the fort was forced to sur- render.

Immediately before the outbreak of the Civil War, Fort Moultrie was occupied by the United States garrison assigned for the defense of Charleston Harbor: but on December 26, 1860, the fort being virtually unprotected from land attack, and hostilities appearing imminent be- tween the Federal and State forces. Major An- derson removed the garrison to Fort Sumter (q.v.). A detachment of South Carolina militia promptly took possession, and subsequently dur- ing the w^ar Fort Moultrie formed one of the important defenses of Charleston against Fed- eral attacks. Consult: Dawson, Battles of the United States (New York, 1858) ; and McCrady, History of South Carolina in the Revolution, 1175-80 (New York, 1901).

FORT MY^ER. A United States military post in Virginia, occupying a reservation of 186 acres, on the west bank of the Potomac River, op- posite Washington, D. C, which is the telegraph station. There are post-office and telephone at the post, which was named after Gen. A. J. Myer, the founder of the Signal Service, U. S. A. It has quarters for 33 officers and 300 men, and stables for 450 horses.

FORT NIAG'ARA. A fort at the mouth of the Niagara River, on the American side. La Salle seems to have built a house here in 1669, and a fortified trading-post, called Fort Conti, ten years later; but both were soon de- stroyed. In 1686 Denonville built here a fort, which was named in his honor. Soon afterwards this place was besieged by the Senecas. In Sep- tember, 1688, the fort was destroyed and aban- doned; but in 1725-26 Vandreuil built here an- other fort, called Fort Niagara, which was destined to be more i>ermanent, and which was soon recognized, not only as the most important military station on the Great Lakes, but also as jierhaps the greatest trading - post in the coiintry. During the French and Indian War it was the objective point of a futile expedition under Governor Sliirley of Massachusetts in 1755, and in July, 1759, after a siege of about