The search for the exact location of Fort Daniel began in the summer of 2005 when the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society (GARS), under the direction of a professional archaeologist, embarked on a project that had the potential to add significantly to Gwinnett County, and Georgia history. The project revolved around a frontier fort, known later as Fort Daniel, that tradition placed on a ridge-top knoll on Hog Mountain. While there had been an historical roadside marker on the highway for many years, there had never been any physical proof that the fort was located there... or exactly where... until the fall of 2005. According to 1813 Divisional Orders from Major General Allen Daniel, commander of the 4th Division of the Georgia Militia, to Brigadier General Frederick Beall, “for the security of the frontier settlement” Gen. Beall was to replace an already existing fort with a new one “sufficient for the reception of two hundred men.” Construction orders included sinking “substantial timbers” that would reach ten or eleven feet above the surface, three feet into the earth. Besides giving good information on how the fort was constructed, this letter, found by the GARS historian in the State archives, indicated that there was an earlier fort at the site, something that had not been known before. If the site of Fort Daniel and the earlier fort were found, what could remain? Aeriel photos from the late 1930's to the 1950's showed the whole area undercultivation, which presumably it had been since about the 1820's. But, even though the presumed site location had been cultivated, the plow zone would not have been deep enough to erase the postholes of the stockade walls that General Daniel ordered built. Plowing also would not erase privy holes or similar deep features within or without the stockade walls. Invariably there would be artifacts, such as metal and ceramics (buttons, lead shot, coins, eathenware, etc), although these would have been plowed under when the site was first cultivated, and delicate artifacts would be broken by subsequent plowing. But these artifacts would tell an important story about the material culture of the men stationed there and where activity areas were located. The area under investigation by GARS included approximately one acre encompassing the highest part of the ridge, which was the logical place for the fort. The first step involved clearing the project area of privet, thorns, fallen trees, and push piles dating to the most recent occupation of the property. This took several weeks due to a very rainy season. Georgia archaeologist, Jim D’Angelo, advisor to GARS, had created a research design that included two forms of subsurface remote sensing: metal detection (MD) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) that would help determine if the site was at that location and something about the nature of what was there. | Before remote sensing could begin, the cleared area was gridded. Using a Contractor’s Transit, compass, a 200’ x 200' grid subdivided into 80 20'x20' grid units, was laid out using the west property line as a baseline. The southwest corner of each grid unit was marked with a wood stake and labelled as to its provenience. The relative elevation of the ground at each of these stakes was recorded and this XYZ grid, became the common reference for mapping artifacts and features that would be found. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a high tech remote sensing method that scans up to several meters below the surface. Used in conjunction with sophisticated software developed at the University of Georgia Athens, this technology allows us to “see,” and map, in 3-D, subsurface anomalies caused by such things as solid objects (walls, pipes) or changes in soil composition (post holes, pits). Metal detection "hits" were also plotted and gave a good idea of the distribution of metal artifacts across the site. In fact, one of the first artifacts found with metal detection was a hand wrought iron nail was a hand-wrought iron nail of a type dated between 1735 and 1790. This would have been from the older fort, which it is believed was constructed in the 1790's. It may have been reused for Fort Daniel. Mapping of both GPR results and MD results suggested the best places to begin testing with archaeological excavation. Among the most exciting finds has been portions of Palisade Wall trenches indicating the location and heading of the south wall and west wall of the fort as well has a hearth rice with artifacts that was in what is believed to be a blockhouse in the southwest corner of the fort. Archaeological excavation at the site has been slowed down recently while the backlog of artifacts are processed and analyzed and the first technical report can be completed. In the mean time, continuing archival research includes a search for descendants of those stationed at the fort, personal diaries or letters, archived materiale requisition documents, and early deeds that might mention the fort. GARS and the Foundation are indebted to the owner of the property on which the site is located, Mrs. Ann Grant, for her graciousness in allowing us to conduct this research in her “back yard.” We are also indebted to University of Georgia, Athens, and members of the UGA Student Association of Archaeological Sciences and their leader, Sheldon Skaggs for contributing their equipment, time, and expertise for the GPR portion of the project, and to members of the Stone Mountain Relic Hunter Club and their associates for their contribution of time and expertise in helping with the systematic metal detection survey. |
