J. D. Stevens
Sergeant
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2016
- Location
- Deep In The Heart of Texas
Fort Hindman was attacked from the river by Porter's gunboats.
As part of an 8 day CW historical tour to Franklin, Tennessee this past month, we took in Arkansas Post. The first day we followed General Fredrick Steele's route from Prescott to Jenkin's Ferry in his aborted attempt to invade Louisiana in conjunction with General Nathaniel Bank's disastrous Red River Campaign. The second day began in Sheridan, Arkansas enroute to Corinth, Mississippi. Instead of heading north per Mr Google, we decided to take a southerly detour via Arkansas Post and then Holly Springs. Not only was this a good decision, but it gave us an excuse to avoid using freeways altogether.
Crossing the Arkansas River on US 165, it was only a short distance to the park entrance, Hwy 169. At this junction there is a small Arkansas Post Museum State Park. The museum is closed on Mondays which also happened to be the day we visited.
Historical Marker at the junction of US 165 and Hwy 169, the entrance to Arkansas Post National Memorial.
Arkansas Post Visitor's Center and Museum and it was open.
The museum provides information and displays of the history as a trading post beginning in the late 1600's. Being a river trading post there are a number of displays of river craft such as a dugout canoe and models of flatboats, keelboats, steamboats, and CW gunboats. The CW displays and the role Arkansas Post played in the war.
While Federal troops attacked the breastworks manned by mostly Texas and Arkansas troops from the rear.
Outside there is a trail to the remains of the 700 yard long Confederate earthworks manned by mostly Texas dismounted cavalry and Arkansas troops. A Federal army of 30,000 attacked these earthworks. Of the 5,000 CSA troops defending Fort Hindman, almost 2,000 were out of action due to disease and sickness.
As you walk along the trail following the old trenches, displays are located approximately where various units were located during the infantry attack.
Reaching the river itself, there is an overlook of the Arkansas River with a number of interpretive displays. Fort Hindman itself is underwater today a couple hundred yards in front of the overlook.
The park ranger had told us the old CW Confederate camps were located outside the park on a gravel road. Driving a couple of miles down this road we found a lot of fields under cultivation, but no indication where a camp might have been. We did accidentally find the oldest cemetery in Arkansas which appears to still be in use today. There was no indication to CW era burials.
As usual with my post, only a fraction of photos taken are shown. If anyone would like additional pictures, let me know.
As part of an 8 day CW historical tour to Franklin, Tennessee this past month, we took in Arkansas Post. The first day we followed General Fredrick Steele's route from Prescott to Jenkin's Ferry in his aborted attempt to invade Louisiana in conjunction with General Nathaniel Bank's disastrous Red River Campaign. The second day began in Sheridan, Arkansas enroute to Corinth, Mississippi. Instead of heading north per Mr Google, we decided to take a southerly detour via Arkansas Post and then Holly Springs. Not only was this a good decision, but it gave us an excuse to avoid using freeways altogether.
Crossing the Arkansas River on US 165, it was only a short distance to the park entrance, Hwy 169. At this junction there is a small Arkansas Post Museum State Park. The museum is closed on Mondays which also happened to be the day we visited.
Historical Marker at the junction of US 165 and Hwy 169, the entrance to Arkansas Post National Memorial.
Arkansas Post Visitor's Center and Museum and it was open.
The museum provides information and displays of the history as a trading post beginning in the late 1600's. Being a river trading post there are a number of displays of river craft such as a dugout canoe and models of flatboats, keelboats, steamboats, and CW gunboats. The CW displays and the role Arkansas Post played in the war.
While Federal troops attacked the breastworks manned by mostly Texas and Arkansas troops from the rear.
Outside there is a trail to the remains of the 700 yard long Confederate earthworks manned by mostly Texas dismounted cavalry and Arkansas troops. A Federal army of 30,000 attacked these earthworks. Of the 5,000 CSA troops defending Fort Hindman, almost 2,000 were out of action due to disease and sickness.
As you walk along the trail following the old trenches, displays are located approximately where various units were located during the infantry attack.
Reaching the river itself, there is an overlook of the Arkansas River with a number of interpretive displays. Fort Hindman itself is underwater today a couple hundred yards in front of the overlook.
The park ranger had told us the old CW Confederate camps were located outside the park on a gravel road. Driving a couple of miles down this road we found a lot of fields under cultivation, but no indication where a camp might have been. We did accidentally find the oldest cemetery in Arkansas which appears to still be in use today. There was no indication to CW era burials.
As usual with my post, only a fraction of photos taken are shown. If anyone would like additional pictures, let me know.
Last edited by a moderator: