Marks Mill and Jenkins Ferry

BenKalba

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May 3, 2019
Visited Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas, where the Union forces under General Steele made their escape after being defeated at Marks Mill. Just a few monuments and stands to explain the area. It was hard to picture because the site is so small.

Marks Mill near Fordyce, Arkansas is interesting and nice. If you only look at the monument and picnic area on Rt. 8 you will not see anything.

There is a dirt road, not a quarter mile away that leads to the Marks Family Cemetery and homestead. This is where the battle took place. It is quite a gem as battlefields go. A nice walking trail with information stops. There are a number of soldiers still buried there as there are tombstones for unknown confederate and union soldiers.

A quiet, serene, yet spooky place.

Went there because my G-G-Grandfather served with the 77th Ohio Infantry during these battles.

Well worth the visit. Arkansas did a nice job in preserving this field
 
My Greatgrandfather owned and operated Jenkins' Ferry. However, he had died a couple of years before from "brain fever". His wife ran the ferry after his death and when the battle was fought. While there was fighting at the ferry, most of the battlefield was west of the river. Those battlefields are now forests, but at the time were fields. There are markers in various places telling of the battle.
 
my G-G-Grandfather served with the 77th Ohio Infantry

On page 37 in the book "Harvest of Death, The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Ark" by Joe Walker, there is a passage quoted by Lt. Col Andrew McCormick of the 77th Ohio Union Volunteers from his wartime experiences found in "Sketches of War History 1861-1865," published by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. It is the only place where the 77th is mentioned per the Index. In the Order of Battle for Jenkins' Ferry, the 77th is not listed. A large part of the regiment was killed or captured at Marks Mill. Those who escaped made their way to Pine Bluff, based on what I have read.

A couple of years ago I posted a thread on the Camden Campaign if you care to check it out.
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-red-river-campaign-in-arkansas.136019/
 
On page 37 in the book "Harvest of Death, The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Ark" by Joe Walker, there is a passage quoted by Lt. Col Andrew McCormick of the 77th Ohio Union Volunteers from his wartime experiences found in "Sketches of War History 1861-1865," published by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. It is the only place where the 77th is mentioned per the Index. In the Order of Battle for Jenkins' Ferry, the 77th is not listed. A large part of the regiment was killed or captured at Marks Mill. Those who escaped made their way to Pine Bluff, based on what I have read.

A couple of years ago I posted a thread on the Camden Campaign if you care to check it out.
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-red-river-campaign-in-arkansas.136019/

Thank you I appreciate it I always wondered what happened to the men of the 77th who were not captured at Marks Mill.
 
Visited Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas, where the Union forces under General Steele made their escape after being defeated at Marks Mill. Just a few monuments and stands to explain the area. It was hard to picture because the site is so small.

Marks Mill near Fordyce, Arkansas is interesting and nice. If you only look at the monument and picnic area on Rt. 8 you will not see anything.

There is a dirt road, not a quarter mile away that leads to the Marks Family Cemetery and homestead. This is where the battle took place. It is quite a gem as battlefields go. A nice walking trail with information stops. There are a number of soldiers still buried there as there are tombstones for unknown confederate and union soldiers.

A quiet, serene, yet spooky place.

Went there because my G-G-Grandfather served with the 77th Ohio Infantry during these battles.

Well worth the visit. Arkansas did a nice job in preserving this field
Visited Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas, where the Union forces under General Steele made their escape after being defeated at Marks Mill. Just a few monuments and stands to explain the area. It was hard to picture because the site is so small.

Marks Mill near Fordyce, Arkansas is interesting and nice. If you only look at the monument and picnic area on Rt. 8 you will not see anything.

There is a dirt road, not a quarter mile away that leads to the Marks Family Cemetery and homestead. This is where the battle took place. It is quite a gem as battlefields go. A nice walking trail with information stops. There are a number of soldiers still buried there as there are tombstones for unknown confederate and union soldiers.

A quiet, serene, yet spooky place.

Went there because my G-G-Grandfather served with the 77th Ohio Infantry during these battles.

Well worth the visit. Arkansas did a nice job in preserving this field
The state park area at Jenkins Ferry--which is on the east side of Saline River--represents only the last event of the battle, Gen. Steele's column's retreat across a pontoon briddge at the location. The actual battle--at lease the second engagement--was fought for three and a half miles along both sides of Cox Creek, which is on the west side of Saline River and runs northwest to near the ferry site. The land on the west side of the creek has been owned by timber corporations for decades but the state of Arkansas is interested in obtaining some of the land for preservation. The best source of information on Jenkins Ferry is this report:
 
G-G-Grandfather served with the 77th Ohio Infantry

Do not know if you have found this book, but it gives information regarding the part the 77th Ohio played in the Battle of Marks Mill.

At the Jefferson Symposium in August, I found and purchased a rare hardback "Steele's Retreat From Camden & the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry" by Ed Bearss from one of the book vendors. Chapter 3 is dedicated to the Battle of Marks Mill and has several references to the 77th Ohio as well as a map showing their location at the rear of the wagon train when the battle began. The regiment consisted of about 400 men commanded by Capt. A. J. McCormick and did not arrive at the main battle until it was almost over. Per the Order of Battle, the regiment had 3 killed, 11 wounded, and 331 captured.
 
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