Named after Major General James Birdeye McPherson this fort was founded in 1867 even though the site had been used as a base since 1835. It was established in , GA southwest of Atlanta as a Confederate Post. During WWI it was used as an Imperial German Navy Prison of and training site for active troops and National Guard. A German Submarine crew was captured and imprisoned at the fort near the beginning of the war, that was the start of the Fort being a .