Favorite Non-National Park Service American Civil War Battlefield

Of those named that I have experienced would say Grand Gulf and Fort Pillow were my favorites.

My home states Pilot Knob and Lexington would be in honorable mention. But Lexington having took place in a town means majority of battlefield isn't preserved, and town has encroached on Fort Davidson Battlefield as well, although the earthwork is largely preserved.
 
Of those named that I have experienced would say Grand Gulf and Fort Pillow were my favorites.

My home states Pilot Knob and Lexington would be in honorable mention. But Lexington having took place in a town means majority of battlefield isn't preserved, and town has encroached on Fort Davidson Battlefield as well, although the earthwork is largely preserved.
Fort Davidson is a good addition to the list.
1627642309418.jpeg
 
I presume that's the ford depicted in N. C. Wyeth's mural in the State Capitol building?

View attachment 409516
No doubt those are interesting sites, but the painting you've referenced is the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Its companion piece shows the Battle of Westport, and might specifically show Byram's Ford. I am not sure, but we have members who can tell us for sure.

You mentioned the death site of George Todd, and those are the kinds of sites that I like to try to find in my home state of Missouri. @Booner and I visited the grave of John Noland in Independence a couple of years ago. At the time, neither of us realized that George Todd's grave is in the same cemetery, and not very far away from Noland. With the help of local guides, I also visited the grave of Archie Clements and Bill Anderson. I said at the time that I did this not so much to honor them, but out of curiousity and to make sure they were STILL dead. But seriously, the guerrilla fighters are very interesting to me and they represent so much of the war as it was fought in Missouri.

A couple of years ago I launched a thread here which I titled "The Death of Little Archie Clements" in which I attempted to retrace Archie's exact movements in Lexington, Missouri on the day he died. Again, I had to rely on local historians who provided historic atlases of the town, showing how the buildings were arranged just after the war. I had access to other sources, as well, and it was a successful thread. Mulligan's fort in Lexington and the Battle of the Hemp Bales are better known sites and events, but Archie's last fight interested me more.
 
this site covers more battlefields then any other site out there.great site,you will spend a lot of time here.

civilwarablum.com/site_index.htm

I do not know why this site won't load.if you put the address in your browser it should.
I have heard that it didnt work. I dont know if it was “moved” to a different server or something. I contacted the owner to contribute photos. Really nice guy.
 
No doubt those are interesting sites, but the painting you've referenced is the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Its companion piece shows the Battle of Westport, and might specifically show Byram's Ford. I am not sure, but we have members who can tell us for sure.

You mentioned the death site of George Todd, and those are the kinds of sites that I like to try to find in my home state of Missouri. @Booner and I visited the grave of John Noland in Independence a couple of years ago. At the time, neither of us realized that George Todd's grave is in the same cemetery, and not very far away from Noland. With the help of local guides, I also visited the grave of Archie Clements and Bill Anderson. I said at the time that I did this not so much to honor them, but out of curiousity and to make sure they were STILL dead. But seriously, the guerrilla fighters are very interesting to me and they represent so much of the war as it was fought in Missouri.

A couple of years ago I launched a thread here which I titled "The Death of Little Archie Clements" in which I attempted to retrace Archie's exact movements in Lexington, Missouri on the day he died. Again, I had to rely on local historians who provided historic atlases of the town, showing how the buildings were arranged just after the war. I had access to other sources, as well, and it was a successful thread. Mulligan's fort in Lexington and the Battle of the Hemp Bales are better known sites and events, but Archie's last fight interested me more.
Curious, you see references to mines placed by Mulligan, that were never used as they were placed outside of and meant to be detonated from the outer works, that were abandoned early on, as the outer works were intended for a larger garrison. But don't think I've ever read or heard their actual location, have you ever heard anything as to specific locations?
 
you see references to mines placed by Mulligan
I am unaware of mines placed by Mulligan at Lexington. However, mining was once an industry in Lexington (or so I was told by a local there) and I have seen old photos of miners in Lexington history articles. It is possible that some of the mines were associated with Mulligan, or attributed to him in much later lore. Lots of times these stories are just that: stories. In a similar vein, Jesse James is reputed to have hidden out in every cave in Missouri, or so the locals would tell you.

One thing about Mulligan's fortifications at Lexington that seems curious to me is that the nearby fresh water spring is in a hollow OUTSIDE of the fort. You'd think he'd have tried to build his fort around it.
 
Back
Top