Fort Hampton was a collection of log buildings and stables built in present-day Limestone County, Alabama, on a hill near the Elk River.

Immediately prior to contact with Europeans, the area that became Alabama was occupied by multiple groups of Native Americans, including the Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw.

Prior to being controlled by the newly formed United States, the current area of Limestone County was claimed at times by the Chickasaw, Cherokee, or the British.

[7] In 1810, Brigadier General Wade Hampton ordered Major John Fuller and one hundred and four men (two companies) of the Regiment of Riflemen to march from Cantonment Washington to the Elk River region of North Alabama.

[12] The primary role of the troops was to keep settlers off Chickasaw lands, and as part of this process they burned the cabins of numerous early inhabitants of Limestone and Lauderdale counties.

[13] Fort Hampton was initially garrisoned by a company of soldiers from the newly organized Regiment of Riflemen under Major John Fuller, but he was soon arrested and relieved of duty and Colonel Robert Purdy of the 7th United States Infantry assumed command.

[16] In a letter to Major General John Alexander Cocke in October 1813, Andrew Jackson warned of a possible impending Creek attack on Fort Hampton and Huntsville.

In response, Jackson ordered General John Coffee to reinforce the militia at Huntsville and Captain McClellan and his troops at Fort Hampton.

[17] The attack never occurred, and after temporarily staying at Fort Hampton, Coffee proceeded to the Black Warrior River valley to scout out hostile Creeks and burn any villages his troops found.

[22] In August 1816, the 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States was stationed at Fort Hampton under the direction of Robert Butler, Andrew Jackson’s Adjutant General of the 7th Military District of the South.