The fort was built by the United States military in response to attacks by Creek warriors on encroaching American settlers.

Fort Madison was subsequently abandoned at the conclusion of the Creek War and only a historical marker exists at the site today.

[4] After the Battle of Burnt Corn, General Ferdinand Claiborne feared retaliatory attacks by the Red Sticks against local settlers.

Two differing descriptions exist of Fort Madison's lighting mechanism: Evan Austill's grandson (Austill reportedly helped design the lighting structure[16]), described the mechanism as "...a tall pine pole erected in the middle of the fort, and built around it a scaffolding with a hole in the center so that it could be raised by pushing it up the pole.

[23] Two days later, Red Stick warriors under the command of Josiah Francis (Hillis Hadjo) attacked settlers who had left the protection of Fort Sinquefield.

[24] When news of this second massacre reached Fort Madison, Colonel Carson sent a detachment of 11 troops to assist in the burial of the victims.

[8] The settlers were also given the recommendation to leave, but Evan Austill stated that if 50 people would remain at the fort he would command them in its defense.

Both captains had previous experience with American-Native American relations: Austill had served as an Indian agent with the Cherokee in Georgia prior to moving to the Mississippi Territory and Dale had recently been wounded at the Battle of Burnt Corn.

William Weatherford even disguised himself as a local settler and gained access to Fort Madison, concluding it was too strong to attack.

[31] Austill and Dale had women wear hats and uniforms to appear as if there were a larger number of soldiers in the fort along with using the lighting mechanism to provide constant aid in surveillance.

[33] One of these scouting expeditions led to the subsequently notable Canoe Fight, in which Dale, Jeremiah Austill, James Smith, and a free Black named Caesar killed ten Red Stick warriors.

This battalion marched under Colonel Gilbert C. Russell in his failed attempt to attack Creek towns along the Cahaba River.

[39] The approximate site of Fort Madison has been identified and archaeological surveys have been made of the area, but no defining features or artifacts have been found.

[40] A historical marker was placed by a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in the early 1900s and is located near the site of Fort Madison.