McIntosh, John (1748-1826)
He was born around 1748, the son of William and Mary McKay McIntosh and the grandson of John Mohr McIntosh who was the commander of the Scotch Highlanders at New Inverness, now known as Darien. Also, he was a nephew of Major General Mclntosh. Colonel John McIntosh was left in command of Fort Morris in 1778. He courageously defended it against the attack of Colonel Fuser who, with 500 men, battering cannon, light artillery and mortars, attacked the fort by land and water.
When Colonel Fuser demanded the surrender of Colonel McIntosh, promising that the citizens should be left in peaceable possession of their property, Colonel McIntosh (with less than 200 men, including continental troops, local militia and loyal citizens) replied in these words:
“Sir, We acknowledge we are not ignorant that your army is in motion to endeavour to reduce this state. We believe it entirely chimerical that Col. Prevost is at the Meeting House; but should it be so, we are in no degree apprehensive of danger from a junction of his army with yours. We have no property compared with the object we contend for that we value a rush and would rather perish in a vigorous defence than accept your proposals.
We, Sir, are fighting the battles of America, and therefore disdain to remain neutral ’til its fate is determined. As to surrendering the fort, receive this laconic reply: Come and Take It.”
He relocated in Florida after the war, was accused by Spanish forces there of espionage, and was imprisoned in Morro Castle in Havana, Cuba, for one year.
He died in 1826 and was buried on his Fairhope Plantation, one mile from Mallow Plantation at Pine Harbor in McIntosh County, Georgia. The latter plantation was the home of his brother, William Mclntosh, who married two Creek Indian women and had two sons, Roderick and William McIntosh, who became Creek Indian chiefs.
He was reinterred on Saturday, October 23, 2010 for the third and hopefully the last time in great fanfare (See the links below)
From “Sweet Land of Liberty, A History of Liberty County, Georgia” by Robert Long Groover; Appendix Number 36, Page(s) 226; and from “Sunbury” by Kate Jones Martin; Used by the permission of the Liberty County Commissioners Office
For more information click on on the links below:
