- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Before I begin I'd like to thank donna for helping me find this fort after discussing various forts in Kentucky. Also I'm sorry it has taken me awhile to get back to this "series" classes started back up again this week and I've been busy.
Fort Williams was an earthwork fort constructed on a hill just outside the town of Glasgow, Kentucky. The fort is actually restored to original specifications since by the 1900s most of the earthworks had deteriorated. The fort is named after Brigadier General Thomas Williams who was killed in 1862 at Baton Rouge, LA. Fort Williams consisted of multiple gun positions with a skirmish trench surrounding the entire fort's earthworks. Sources indicate there were only a few structures located within the walls of the fort including a supply warehouse and 1-2 earthern magazines. The garrison actually camped outside the fort in tents or in town.
The fort was built in the Spring of 1863 by Union forces to protect the towns rail and communication lines after John Hunt Morgan had raided the town in December of 1862 and occupied the area for three days. The garrison which occupied of both the town of Glasgow and Fort Williams numbered somewhere between 400 and 500 mounted infantry from the 37th Kentucky commanded by Major Samuel Martin.
Fort Williams saw action on October 6, 1863 when a raiding party attached to the 25th Tennessee under the command of Colonel John Hughes surprised Union troops at dawn in town and then quickly overran the fort. After capturing valuable supplies from the fort Confederate troops set fire to the fortifications and headed back to town. Before leaving the town the troops looted various stores and warehouses for supplies and also robbed the bank. After a brief pursuit by mounted Union troops who had managed to avoid being captured during the intial raid, Confederate troops escaped with horses, arms and ammunition. Union troops would return to the fort and occupy it with a small garrison for the remainder of the war when it was then abandoned.
Today Fort Williams is maintained by the city of Glasgow and from what I can tell is open year round free of charge for visitors. Visitors can tour the old earthwork fort and observe mutiple pieces of artillery along with various historical markers which give information both about the fort and the raid mentioned above. At the bottom of the hill rests the Glasgow graveyard which features multiple ACW graves. Also in town there is a Confederate Monument which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
http://www.cityofglasgow.org/supplemental_divisions/fort_williams.jsp
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM76HW_Fort_Williams_Glasgow_KY
Link to my previous thread in the "Forgotten Forts Series" located at the bottom of the original post you can find links to all other forts I have featured in the series.
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-scammel.79382/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-gorges.79453/
Fort Williams was an earthwork fort constructed on a hill just outside the town of Glasgow, Kentucky. The fort is actually restored to original specifications since by the 1900s most of the earthworks had deteriorated. The fort is named after Brigadier General Thomas Williams who was killed in 1862 at Baton Rouge, LA. Fort Williams consisted of multiple gun positions with a skirmish trench surrounding the entire fort's earthworks. Sources indicate there were only a few structures located within the walls of the fort including a supply warehouse and 1-2 earthern magazines. The garrison actually camped outside the fort in tents or in town.
The fort was built in the Spring of 1863 by Union forces to protect the towns rail and communication lines after John Hunt Morgan had raided the town in December of 1862 and occupied the area for three days. The garrison which occupied of both the town of Glasgow and Fort Williams numbered somewhere between 400 and 500 mounted infantry from the 37th Kentucky commanded by Major Samuel Martin.
Fort Williams saw action on October 6, 1863 when a raiding party attached to the 25th Tennessee under the command of Colonel John Hughes surprised Union troops at dawn in town and then quickly overran the fort. After capturing valuable supplies from the fort Confederate troops set fire to the fortifications and headed back to town. Before leaving the town the troops looted various stores and warehouses for supplies and also robbed the bank. After a brief pursuit by mounted Union troops who had managed to avoid being captured during the intial raid, Confederate troops escaped with horses, arms and ammunition. Union troops would return to the fort and occupy it with a small garrison for the remainder of the war when it was then abandoned.
http://www.cityofglasgow.org/supplemental_divisions/fort_williams.jsp
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM76HW_Fort_Williams_Glasgow_KY
Link to my previous thread in the "Forgotten Forts Series" located at the bottom of the original post you can find links to all other forts I have featured in the series.
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-scammel.79382/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-gorges.79453/