Mississippi Forts

American Forts: East

MISSISSIPPI

Last Update: 27/SEPTEMBER/2007

Camp Jefferson Davis
(1848), East Pascagoula
An American military post during the Mexican-American War.

Camp Lawson
(1848), Greenwood Island
An American military hospital camp during the Mexican-American War. The complex was destroyed by a hurricane in 1859.

Old Spanish Fort (Museum) ?
(1718 - 1810 ?), Pascagoula
A stockaded house, originally known as Fort de la Pointe, built by Joseph Simon de la Pointe, located on Krebs Lake (Lake Chatahoula) at 4602 Fort Drive. Baron Franz von Krebs later took over the house through marriage, renaming it Krebs' Fort. The French relinquished control of this area to the British in 1763. Spanish troops then took over in 1779, but weren't actually present in any number here until the 1810 Baton Rouge Rebellion. Claiming to be the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley, this structure is made up of 18-inch thick walls of timber, oyster shells, mud and moss. Admission fee. (2005 Hurricane Katrina status unknown)

¤ TEMPORARY HARBOR DEFENSES of PASCAGOULA

¤ Pascagoula Military Reservation
(1942 - 1944), Pascagoula
A two-gun 155mm battery was located here. Panama mounts were built in 1943. Exact location undetermined, probably at the present Pascagoula Naval Station.

Fort Maurepas
(1699 - 1702), Ocean Springs
First French fort in the Louisiana Territory. The current structure is a reproduction located one mile from what is believed to be the original site. The original site is on private property (no remains). Originally called Fort Biloxi, it had barracks, warehouses, a bakery, a forge, a magazine, four bastions with 12 guns, all completely built with cut timber, surrounded by a stockaded moat. The French moved the post to Fort Louis in Alabama. There was another French settlement here from 1719 to 1721.

New Fort Biloxi, or Fort St. Louis, much more elaborate, was begun in 1720 at Biloxi, but was abandoned in 1722 for New Orleans. Several old French cannon salvaged from the bay in 1893 are displayed in Biloxi Community Park.

Fort Bogue
(1812 - 1815), Ocean Springs
A Federal fort located north of old Fort Maurepas, near Fort Point. No remains.

Ship Island Fort (1)
(1717 - unknown), Ship Island
A French fort and supply base was located on Ship Island in 1717, but did not last long. The island was also later used as a supply base by the Spanish, West Florida Republic, and the British during the 1814 New Orleans Campaign.

Fort Massachusetts
(Gulf Islands National Seashore)
(1856 - 1875), West Ship Island
Ship Island was first garrisoned by Federal troops in 1847. Union forces partially destroyed the unfinished Fort at Ship Island (2) to prevent it from being captured in 1861. It was occupied by the Confederates for three months, who then named it Fort Twiggs, but it was recaptured and renamed by the Union, who then used it as a POW camp. Hurricane Camille in 1969 split the island into two sections. Fee required for ferry to island. See also Coastal Fortifications on the Gulf of Mexico (website courtesy of Andy Bennett).

Cat Island Post
(1755), Cat Island
A French garrison was briefly located here. Cat Island became an American military reservation from 1847 - 1878, but does not seem to have ever been fortified.

Post at Pass Christian
(1812 - 1818), Pass Christian
A Federal garrison. May have been known as Fort Henry.

Camp Cass
(1834), Bay St. Louis
A temporary summer encampment of troops from Fort Jackson, LA.

Fort la Base
(1755), Lyman
A French fort.

Camp Shelby (State Military Reservation)
(1917 - present), near Hattiesburg
A Federalized National Guard training encampment and demobilization center for the 38th Division. Reverted to state ownership in 1920 for use as a MS National Guard training area. Federalized again in 1940 with much new construction, and reverted back to state ownership in 1947.

Col. James Patton's Fort
(1813), Winchester
A settlers' stockaded fort/mill during the Creek War, but saw no action. Some ruins of the mill remain.

Rogers' Fort
(1813), Winchester
A settlers' fort located about six miles above Patton's Fort.

Camp Pettus
(1861 - 1863 ?), Enterprise
A CSA recruiting and training camp.

Fort Adams
(1798 - 1810), Fort Adams
A Federal blockhouse surrounded by an earthwork battery. Situated on top of Blockhouse Hill, now only a pile of stone rubble on private property. Also known as Post at Loftus Heights. At the time this was near the international boundary with Spanish West Florida. Four miles to the east was Cantonment Columbian Spring (1807 - 1810). The Spanish had a post here in 1781 called Roche à Davion to thwart the British in Natchez. To the north near Sibley was the Spanish post Ecors Blancs (White Cliffs) (1781).

Fort Rosalie
(Natchez National Historic Park)
(1716 - 1808), Natchez
A French earthen fortification also named Fort les Natchez, it was an irregular pentagon with a bastion and a moat. Attacked by Natchez Indians in 1729 and left in ruin. The French rebuilt the fort in 1730. The British took control of West Florida in 1764, but did not rebuild the fort until 1778, renaming it Fort Panmure. The Spanish captured the fort in 1779, the British briefly recaptured it in 1781, with the Spanish regaining control until 1798. The Americans took over in 1798, known as Post at Natchez, or Fort Sargent. The site is directly to the rear of the Rosalie House (1820).

Fort McPherson
(1863 - 1865), Natchez
A line of earthworks and batteries surrounding the town, built by Union forces after they took control of the area.

Fort Dearborn
(1803 - 1815), Washington
A blockhouse built to protect the town which was the capital of Mississippi Territory at the time. It was a subpost of Fort Adams. Renamed Fort Washington in 1809, also known as Cantonment Washington. A staging area for the Creek War in 1812, and a stockade for British prisoners in 1815. No remains. An excavation was done in 1973.

Civil War Defenses of Grand Gulf
(Grand Gulf State Park)
(1863), Grand Gulf
Confederate defenses located on the Mississippi River northwest of Port Gibson were:
Fort Cobun at Point of Rock. It withstood a Union attack in April 1863 before it was abandoned in May. The earthworks and magazine still exist.
Fort Wade less than one mile from Fort Cobun. Its guns were destroyed after the five-hour Union attack in April 1863.
Admission fee to the park museum.

Fort (los) Nogales
(1791 - 1800), Vicksburg
A Spanish stronghold located on Fort Hill in Vicksburg NMP, near the Old Courthouse. It had 12 cannon facing the river, and four howitzers in blockhouses racing the rear, with a powder magazine, commander's house, and barracks for 200 men. About 1000 yards to the rear was square-palisade Fort Mount Vigie, and about 400 yards to the right and left were two blockhouses, Fort Gayoso and Fort Ignatius. A blockhouse named Fort Sugarloaf was on a hill across a creek. The Americans took control in 1798 and renamed the complex Fort McHenry. It was abandoned in 1800.

Civil War Defenses of Vicksburg
(Vicksburg National Military Park)
(1862 - 1865), Vicksburg
Confederate fortifications ringed the city, including Battery Selfridge, Fort Hill, Battery DeGolyer, Stockade Redan, 3rd Louisiana Redan, Great Redoubt, 2nd Texas Lunette, Railroad Redoubt (aka Fort Beauregard to Union forces), Fort Garrott (aka Square Fort) (three guns), and Salient Work. South of the city there is South Fort which is located outside the main park, near the shore of what is now the Yazoo River (formerly the Mississippi River). Admission fee.
Fort Castle was the name given to the CSA fortified Castle Hill mansion (1840's) located just south of the downtown area overlooking the river. It was destroyed in 1863. At least a dozen CSA shore batteries were located along the river's edge. Confederate shore batteries were also located downriver at Warrenton.

After the city fell in 1863, the Union built their own line of fortifications closer in to the city, including Batteries Moore, Rawlins, Dollins, Castle, Comstock, Clark (located between Grove, Jackson, and Farmer Streets), Wilson, Boomer, Sherman, Crocker, Ransom, Smith, and Hickenlooper. The entire complex was thus known as Fort Grant. Union Camp Fisk (1865) was established in the area (location ?) for POW exchanges after the war ended.

Fort St. Pierre des Yazous
(1719 - 1729), Redwood
A French palisaded four-bastioned work located on Snyder's Bluff by the Yazoo River. Also known as Fort St. Claude. The garrison was attacked and destroyed by Yazoo Indians in 1729.

Fort Snyder
(1862 - 1863), Redwood
A Confederate 20-gun stronghold during the Seige of Vicksburg, located on Snyder's Bluff. It was built on the site of Fort St. Pierre. Confederate batteries were also located nearby at Hayne's (or Haine's) Bluff and Drumgould's Bluff.

Big Black River Earthworks
(1863), near Edwards
CSA earthworks defended the east-side of the Big Black River railroad crossing, with two stockades on either side of the railroad at the bridge. Attacked before the Siege of Vicksburg. Union entrenchments were located on the west bank of the river.

Civil War Defenses of Jackson
(1863), Jackson
Confederate trenches and earthworks surrounded the town on the north, west, and south, and are still located in Battlefield Park at Langley Street and Terry Road, and at the Manship House on East Fortification Street. Fortification Street marks the east-west defensive line. Union trenches were located west of the CSA line. Attacked after the fall of Vicksburg.
Camp Patrick Henry (1) (1861 - 1863) was a CSA recruiting camp located near today's Millsaps College.

Jackson CSA Arsenal and Ordnance Depot
(1860's), Jackson
A CSA Arsenal and/or Ordnance Depot was located in the city. Undetermined location.

Camp Pat Henry (2)
(1898), Jackson
A Spanish-American War state muster camp, located one mile north of the then city limits.

Fort Pemberton (Park)
(1863), Greenwood
A Confederate eight-gun work made of cotton bales and timber logs. A marker locates the actual site about four miles west of town on a narrow neck of land separating the Tallahatchie and Yazoo Rivers. Also known as Fort Greenwood. The Confederates sunk the captured Star of the West here to block the Union advance through Yazoo Pass during the Vicksburg Campaign of 1863.

Located one mile east on the Tallahatchie River was CSA Fort Ann, Fort Moore, and Fort Texas. Located on the west (south) bank of the Tallahatchie River about one-quarter mile above the confluence of the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers was CSA Lower Fort. CSA Middle Fort was located one-half mile above Lower Fort on the same side of the river. Located on the east bank of the Yazoo River just below the confluence of the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers are the earthwork remains of CSA Fort Leflore.

Fort Loring
(Florewood River Plantations State Park)
(1862 - 1863), near Itta Bena
A CSA fort on the west bank of the Yazoo River, downriver from Fort Pemberton, established on the grounds of the "Cureton" plantation. The estate was renamed "Fort Loring" after the war.

Grenada Fort
(1862), Grenada
A Confederate fort once located along the Yalobusha river. A marker is at the Grenada Dam.

Grenada CSA Arsenal and Ordnance Depot
(1862), Grenada
A CSA Arsenal and/or Ordnance Depot was temporarily located in the city. Undetermined location. It was moved to Gainesville, Alabama in 1862.

Mississippi A. & M. College Training Battery
(1926), Starkville
The Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College R.O.T.C. performed coast artillery training here on Battery Stephen D. Lee, a "dummy" battery officially named as such in 1926. The college is now known as Mississippi State University.

Alibamu Indian Fort
(1400 - 1600), Oktibbeha County ?
A Late Mississippian Period palisaded Alibamu Indian village located on or near Line Creek (location ?). Visited by Hernando DeSoto in April 1541. The Spanish attacked the fort, losing seven men. Only a few Indians were killed. Nothing of value to the Spanish was found here.

Columbus CSA Arsenal
(1862), Columbus
A CSA Arsenal was located here. Also known as Briarfield Arsenal. A marker locates the site on 10th Avenue North.

Ackia
(18th century), Tupelo
A fortified Chickasaw Indian settlement, it was raided unsuccessfully by the French in 1736. The "Ackia Battleground" is one of the features on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Chickasaw Battery
(J. P. Coleman State Park)
(1862), Chickasaw
A Confederate earthwork located at the mouth of Bear Creek on the Tennessee River, opposite Eastport, to protect the railroad bridge. It was abandoned before the Battle of Shiloh. The site, located north of Iuka, is probably now underwater.

Civil War Defenses of Corinth
(1862), Corinth
Located in Confederate Park at Polk and Linden Streets is Union Battery Robinett, one of several Union redoubts that protected the railroad junction through town. The others were known as Batteries Lothrop, Williams (five guns), Phillips, Tannrath, Powell (four guns), and Madison. A portion of Battery Williams still exists, located near a brick manufacturing company. Battery Richardson (four guns) was located 0.75 mile west of town on the road to Kossuth. It was not attacked during the Battle of Corinth (October 1862). Union Batteries A - F formed an outer defensive ring along the south and west. Battery F still exists at Bitner and Davis Streets. Union Camp Davis (2) (1862) was located south of town on the Danville-Rienzi Road.

A circular CSA rifle pit, about 50 feet in diameter, is located at MS 2 and 7th Street. The town was originally surrounded by Confederate trenches and rifle pits soon after the Battle of Shiloh. Other CSA defenses included Battery Chapman located east of the railroad. CSA Camp Blythe (1862) was located on the Monterey-Corinth Road (North Parkway) after the Battle of Shiloh. CSA Camp Moore (1862) was also located nearby.

Camp Glendale
(1862), Glendale
A Union encampment during the Seige of Corinth. Located less than ten miles southeast of Corinth along the old Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

Camp Farmington
(1862), Farmington
A temporary Union encampment during the Seige of Corinth.

Fort Morgan
(1862), Michigan City
A Union blockhouse converted from an old sawmill, and earthworks on an old Indian mound nearby, to protect the railroad bridge across the Wolf River. Unsuccessfully attacked several times by the Confederates. The settlement was then known as Davis' Mills.

NEED MORE INFO: Fort Oliver Road north of Ocean Springs.
Towns: Spanish Fort southeast of Rolling Fork; Potts Camp southeast of Holly Springs