An Alliance Shattered
FORT LOUDOUN: FORSAKEN BY GOD AND MAN is a half-hour television documentary that explores the pivotal yet complicated relationship between British garrison soldiers at Fort Loudoun, Fort Prince George, and the Overhill Cherokee Nation during the middle of the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
To solidify an allegiance with the Cherokee, the British built Fort Loudoun in 1756 in a geographic region that would later become known as Tennessee. The fort countered French influence in the area while protecting the families of the Cherokee warriors who were fighting alongside the British against French forces. Initially, the fort was a successful trade hub between the British and the Cherokee, providing a communal means of exchanging goods and services. During this peaceful time, the Cherokee formed important kin relationships with some of the garrison soldiers and fur traders in the area.
Misunderstandings and cultural differences between the British, colonial settlers and the Cherokee in the greater Southeastern frontier eventually led to bloody repercussions for Fort Loudoun and the Overhill Cherokee Nation. As violence escalated, South Carolina Governor William Lyttleton declared a punitive ammunition embargo against the Cherokee. This action triggered more bloodshed and eventually doomed the Fort Loudoun garrison.
FORT LOUDOUN: FORSAKEN BY GOD AND MAN is personalized through two ambitious Cherokee leaders: Oconostota, the hawkish and powerful fighter, and Atta Kulla Kulla, a British loyalist and respected diplomat. Captain Paul Demere, the unpopular and isolated commander of Fort Loudoun, is trapped in a political and deadly feud that eventually leads to Fort Loudoun’s surrender and a hollow victory for the Cherokee.
Partners & Underwriters
Coming Soon to East Tennessee PBS!
Nolichucky Pictures