Stirring Up a Hornet's Nest: - UGA Laboratory of Archaeology ...

Figure 15. Portion of U.S.G.S. Quadrangle, Showing Kettle Creek, circa 1903-1904 (U.S.G.S. 1906).
The 1942 aerial photograph of the study area is shown in Figure 18. It is interesting to note the differences
compared with the earlier 1938 aerial. After only four years, the extensively terraced ridge north of the dogleg
bend in Kettle Creek, which was in cultivation in 1938 was fallow land by 1942. By the time of the
1952 aerial photographic flight (not shown), this same area had entirely reverted to forest.
BMILITARY LANDSCAPE OF WILKES COUNTY
Kettle Creek was in the heart of the American frontier in February, 1779. The landscape in east-central
Georgia was dotted at that time with a series of fortified houses, militia forts, and ranger forts, of which a
very few contained regular British army troops. Most of these had been constructed with the perceived
threat from Indian attack. In late January, 1780, the Georgia Executive Council met and,
...On a representation made to the Board by Colonels Dooly & Clark, of the necessity of having the newly erected Forts in the
frontiers in Wilkes County properly garrisoned.
RESOLVED, That His Honor the Governor be requested to issue orders to Colonel Dooly to order thirty men for the defence
of each Fort, including one hundred and eighty men in the whole, to be kept on constant duty, until the further orders of the
Board.
RESOLVED, That a Fort be built at Harris old Fort and that the sum of five hundred pounds be allowed for the building the
same, and to be erected under the direction of Captain Zachariah Philips agreeable to the regulations which were made with
respect to the other Forts on that frontier...(Candler 1908, 2001).
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