FAQs • Fort Madison, IA • CivicEngage

How many soldiers served at Fort Madison?: It depends upon what period is being looked at. Between 1808 and 1811 there were generally about 60 or 70 officers and enlisted men stationed here. In 1812 the number of soldiers hovered around 50 and at times was even less. In 1813 the fort was re-enforced and by the time of its abandonment in November a little over 100 men garrisoned the post.

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Old Fort Madison

1. Who funds Old Fort Madison?: Old Fort Madison is funded by a hotel / motel tax, admissions and gift shop revenue, donations, and grants.

2. Who owns Old Fort Madison?: Old Fort Madison is a nonprofit site owned and operated by the City of Fort Madison.

3. Is Old Fort Madison on the original site?: No, the Old Fort was reproduced in Riverview Park (which was created from land fill) to place it the approximate distance the original site was from the river, and because the original site is covered by parking lots. Today the remains of Old Fort Madison are under the parking lot west of the Sheaffer Pen building and east of Fourth Street.

A marker in the shape of a chimney is situated in the approximate location of Blockhouse Number One, south of Avenue H. The parking lots to the west of Fourth Street cover the area where the contracting settlement was built and where the ravine ran that was used by attacking Winnebago, Menominee, and Sac warriors.

4. Who was the fort named for?: Fort Madison was named for the fourth president of the United States, James Madison.

5. Why was the fort built?: The fort was constructed as a trading post, or factory, under article nine of the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis and was part of the federal government’s system of trading posts. Originally the trading post was located near St. Louis, but was moved north in 1808 to a more convenient location for the Sac and Fox who traded there.

6. How long did Fort Madison exist?: Fort Madison itself existed between April 1809 and November 1813, at which time it was abandoned and burned by the garrison due primarily to a lack of supplies. An earlier temporary post was used by the garrison between September 1808 and April 1809 as winter quarters while they constructed Fort Madison. This first fort was named Fort Belle Vue.

7. Who built Fort Madison?: Fort Madison was a United States factory post and was constructed by members of the Department of Indian Trade, as well as, soldiers from Captain Ninian Pinkney’s Company, 1st United States Infantry Regiment. The men that oversaw the actual construction were First Lieutenant Alpha Kingsley and United States Factor John Johnson.

8. How many soldiers served at Fort Madison?: It depends upon what period is being looked at. Between 1808 and 1811 there were generally about 60 or 70 officers and enlisted men stationed here. In 1812 the number of soldiers hovered around 50 and at times was even less. In 1813 the fort was re-enforced and by the time of its abandonment in November a little over 100 men garrisoned the post.

9. What time period does the fort represent?: Fort Madison is an example of an Early Republic Era (1789-1828) government factory post. The exact dates of the fort’s existence fall between 1808 and 1813. The fighting that engulfed the fort in its later years was part of the War of 1812.

10. Was there fighting at Fort Madison?: Fort Madison was attacked numerous times during the War of 1812. The fighting around the fort began with Winnebago harassment in March and April 1812, which killed two soldiers. In September 1812 Fort Madison was targeted as part of Tecumseh’s Offensive and sustained a four-day siege in which one soldier was killed. Again in April and May 1813 the post was harassed by hostile warriors allied to the British. In July 1813 six soldiers were killed in two separate skirmishes outside the fort. Periodic harassment continued until the fort was finally abandoned in November 1813 due to the failure of the contractor to supply the fort with usable rations.