Category: Arkansas Post (Campaign Series)
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Arkansas Post – Conclusion
Conclusion and Assessment The reduction of Arkansas Post was at best a sidelight to the greater operations around Vicksburg. Its success was reasonably assured from the outset given the disparity in the number of forces available to the respective commanders. The Confederates, despite an impressive early showing , had little hope of successfully defending the […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 9
Aftermath The decision to surrender the fort was neither discussed amongst the Confederate command group nor universally accepted. At the left end of their line Deshler was appalled when Federal officers approached under a flag of truce to receive his surrender. As BG Steele discussed the matter with Deshler his troops moved out from cover […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 8
Day 2 – Assault After a tiresome morning of more preparation the ground forces were finally prepared. Porter was informed that as soon as his fleet opened the assault would begin. At 1300 six of the Union gunboats began pounding the fort. The Union batteries along the line joined in. Across the river Colonel Lindsey, […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 7
Day 2 – Forenoon When it became obvious that there would be no assault on the 10th Churchill adjusted his defenses for the attack he expected in the morning. The new Confederate line would anchor its right on the fort and extend westward toward Post Bayou. Inside the fort the sailors were joined by four […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 6
Day 1 Morning came early for McClernand and his staff. They quickly discovered that the lower line of works, although it had emplacements for ten pieces of artillery, were empty. While examining the second line two of the light draft gunboats, Rattler and Black Hawk, move into position and opened fire on the Confederate line. […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 5
The Expedition Begins On the morning of January 5th three City Class gunboats, De Kalb, Louisville, and Cincinnati, led the convoy of transports and six lighter gunboats out from Milliken’s Bend into the Mississippi River. In an effort to conceal their final destination they by passed the mouth of the Arkansas River. The going was […]
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Arkansas Post – Part 4
McClernand Takes Charge Sherman’s attack on the northern defenses of Vicksburg at Chickasaw Bayou was crushed on December 29th. On January 2nd the defeated Federals, after realizing the impossibility of success in this area, boarded their transports for the trip to Milliken’s Bend. As they loaded unit commanders took stock of their losses. Several units […]