Forgotten Forts Series - Fort Pemberton (MS)

NFB22

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
Location
Louisville, KY
In early 1863, then-Major General Ulysses S. Grant devised a plan to flank the the Confederate defenses surrounding Vicksburg by utilizing the backwaters of the Mississippi Delta. In the first days of February, Union forces breached a levee along the Mississippi River north of Vicksburg which allowed water to flood into the surrounding area and giving them access to a number of rivers.

Union forces consisted of 9 regiments under the command of Brig. General Leonard Ross. The naval contingent, under the command of Lt. Commander Watson Smith, was made up of two ironclads (USS Baron De Kalb & USS Chillicothe) along with a number of tinclads, rams and transport barges for the troops.

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When it became apparent to the Confederates what was happening, Lt. General John Pemberton ordered troops to immediately fortify the region to stop the combined Union operation. Troops under Major General William Loring began preparing to repel the invading troops by constructing a fort along the Tallahatchie River near Greenwood, Mississippi. The fortification was primarily made of up of cotton bales which were then covered with earthworks and was named Fort Pemberton. The landward fortifications were not as extensive as those facing the river since the flooding had caused most of the area to become impassible for opposing infantry. Troops also felled trees in the river in front of the fort and scuttled a steamer as an added obstruction.

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On March 11, 1863 the USS Baron De Kalb and Chillicothe engaged Fort Pemberton however they received more damage than they inflicted, the USS Chillicothe taking most of the damage. Union forces tried multiple times to reduce Fort Pemberton over the next week until they finally withdrew on March 17. A second attack was considered but was never attempted before all forces returned to the Mississippi River. Following the failed Yazoo Pass operation, Confederate troops abandoned Fort Pemberton to reinforce Vicksburg.

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Today the site of Fort Pemberton is Fort Pemberton Memorial Park. The park features historic markers and a monument describing the Yazoo Pass Expedition as well as some remnants of the earthworks. The site previously featured a period cannon which has since been removed. The park is located along the north side of US 49 just west of Greenwood.
 
That was one of the out-of-the-way forts for which I didn't realize some remnants still exist.

My boyhood home was about 15 miles from this fort. Are you saying I live Off the Beaten Path?!?!?

Everyone who lived in that area, knew some of the history of Fort Pemberton and the scuttling of the ship STAR OF THE WEST in order to block Grant's 3rd attempt to land forces near Vicksburg. My older brother remembers seeing the skeleton of the ship when the Tallahatchie River was low.

Map of Fort Pemberton located at the confluence of the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers that became the Yazoo River.
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For a quick read about this Expedition, check out McCluney's book. (The painting on the cover is, of course, a painting of an assault at Vicksburg.)
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A fascinating place. That's great that there are still earthworks at Ft Pemberton. From what I've read, the Yazoo Pass expedition was part of Grant's poking and probing, looking for a back door into Vicksburg. The idea got abandoned as unfeasible -- I think in part due to Confederate resistance like this fort, but maybe even more because of difficulties in navigation. Is that correct?

Here's a detail from one of Hal Jespersen's maps of the Vicksburg campaign. Shows the position of Ft Pemberton at right center:

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(Credit: Cartography Services by Hal Jespersen, detail from "Vicksburg Campaign December 62 - March 63")

Roy B.
 
From what I've read, the Yazoo Pass expedition was part of Grant's poking and probing, looking for a back door into Vicksburg.
Correct.
If you notice on your map, there is also a Steele Bayou Expedition. This was another attempt to carry Union troops up Steele Bayou, then across to Deer Creek which would allow them to land "behind" the Confederate lines at Haynes Bluff. The Confederates sent troops up the Sunflower River and stopped the Union boats. These rivers were quite small so it didn't take much to stop them. The Confederates referred to this as the Sunflower Expedition, as I recall. After this failed, the Union fleet was approaching Fort Pemberton. Some of the Confederate forces were transferred from this area to reinforce Fort Pemberton.
 
Is the remains of the Star of the West still in the nearby river or was it removed? The story of this ship seems to always end wih it being sank and used as an obstacle but was it later raised, dynamited by divers,etc.?
The Corps of Engineers began dredging the river in the 1950's to manage the dept of the river and prevent floods. This scattered the remains. There was nothing recovered from the river. However, there are objects that were taken from the ship before it was scuttled. One is the bell that is on display at the Museum at Beauvoir---the Jeff Davis home.

There is a story of another ship scuttled near Sidon, Miss. In the 1950's a local farmer pulled up the timbers and made a barn with them.
 
My boyhood home was about 15 miles from this fort. Are you saying I live Off the Beaten Path?!?!?

Everyone who lived in that area, knew some of the history of Fort Pemberton and the scuttling of the ship STAR OF THE WEST in order to block Grant's 3rd attempt to land forces near Vicksburg. My older brother remembers seeing the skeleton of the ship when the Tallahatchie River was low.

I've been to Vicksburg and east to Jackson, but haven't traveled north of that area in the Mississippi region. Sounds like it might be another good road trip!
 
Yes, from what I've read about these attempts, it was impractical for the Federals to try to make any approach in force to Vicksburg along these waterways. Too narrow and shallow -- and harassment from Confederate forces didn't help...
It was possible on the Tallahatchie and Yazoo Rivers. The Union blew up the levee on the Mississippi River and flooded the entire Delta. This gave them plenty of room to move down the river and even navigate it. BUT---it also raised the smokestacks higher so they contacted the trees that lined the banks. The main obstruction was the Rebs cut down 150-year old Cypress trees blocking the river. And Col. Jesse Forrest used his men to fire at the boats as they crept along.
 
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