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When the Indian Removal happened in 1838, a series of stockades were built in Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee to round them up and house them before their exile to the Oklahoma Territory. Over ten of these forts were built in North Georgia, including Fort Newnan (present Pickens County) and Fort Hetzel in Gilmer County. The map below shows the location of some of the Removal Forts in the southeast. Note: Fort Morrow, Tennessee (above the second G in Georgia

Fort Newnan was built in March of 1838 in Gilmer County (Present-day Pickens) It was named after Major General Daniel Newnan, Georgia Secretary of State of the 1820s. The Fort was led by Captain Reverend John Dorsey. He led a mounted regiment. On May 26, 1938, After the Indian removal was completed, Captain Dorsey refused to give up the post. A detachment was sent to arrest him, but by their arrival, he had gone home and half of his men had left. The remainder of his tr