Arkansas Forts

American Forts: West

ARKANSAS

Last Update: 13/OCTOBER/2007

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2007 American Forts Network

Cantonment Taylor
(1821 - 1824), near Fort Lynn
A Federal garrison protecting a government trading post at the mouth of the Sulphur Fork of the Red River. Also known as Post at Sulphur Fork. This may have later become Fort Lynn.

Fort Lynn
(unknown dates), Fort Lynn
Discontinued before 1903. This may have previously been Camp Taylor.
(thanks to Marshall Sitrin for info)

Camp Bragg
(1862 - 1863), Woodlawn
A CSA winter encampment located 17 miles southwest of Camden.

Ecore Fabre's Trading Post
(1824), Camden
A settlers' trading post. The town was originally named Ecore Fabre after the first settler.

Fort Lookout
(1864), Camden
CSA earthwork fort built during the Union's 1864 Red River Campaign. Site located on Van Buren Road on private property. Some earthworks still remain off Gravel Pit Road.

Fort Sutherland
(1864), Camden
CSA earthwork fort built during the Union's 1864 Red River Campaign. Also known as Fort Diamond. Site located on Bradley Ferry Road.

Arkadelphia CSA Arsenal
(1863 - 1864), Arkadelphia
The Confederates established an ordnance works here when Little Rock was threatened by the Union advance. Most of the equipment and weapons from the Little Rock Arsenal was transferred here.

Fort Smith (National Historic Site)
(1817 - 1834, 1838 - 1871), Fort Smith
Preceding the establishment of Arkansas Territory (1819), the first fort was built to keep the peace between the Osage and the recently resettled Cherokee and Choctaw Nations. It was a simple log and stone stockade with two blockhouses, also known as Belle Point Fort or Camp Smith, and renamed in 1818. The ruins still exist. The troops were moved to Fort Gibson, OK in 1824 before the 1820 Indian Territory boundary was shifted west in 1825 to its present alignment. The deteriorating fort was then intermittently garrisoned until 1834, the last garrison transferring to Fort Coffee, OK. The second fort, originally planned as a large pentagonal masonry work with five bastions, was built in 1839 due to settler demands over the Indian Removals from the southeast. Camp Thomas, later renamed Camp (or Cantonment) Belknap (1838 - 1846), was built adjacent to the first fort site while the second fort was being constructed. Construction was halted in 1841, and the fort was then modified as a supply depot for the Federal forts in Indian Territory. Seized by Confederates in 1861, captured by the Union in 1863. Temporarily abandoned in 1864-65. Permanently abandoned in 1871. The Barracks (1849) then served as the US District Court from 1872 - 1890, and later served as a Federal prison from 1890 to 1917. Admission fee. The strip of land between the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers and the 1825 boundary, on which the first fort is located, and known as the "Choctaw Strip", was formally transferred from Indian Territory to Arkansas in 1905. The first fort site was excavated in 1958 - 1963.
Located nearby on Rogers Ave. is the Old Fort Museum, which was once housed in the Commissary Storehouse (1846) from 1910 to 1961. Admission fee.
Also in town is the fortified Casper Reutzel Haus (1850).

Camp Vine Prairie
(1862), Van Buren
A CSA camp.

Camp Babcock
(1862), near Fayetteville
A CSA camp southwest of town, established prior to the Battle of Prairie Grove (December 1862) nearby.

Camp Reagan
(1861 - 1862), near Elkins
A CSA training camp. Also refered to as Fort Reagan.
(info courtesy of Aimee Crochet)

Camp Marmaduke
(1862), Washington County
A CSA camp.

Camp Walker
(1861), Maysville
A CSA camp located one and one-half miles northeast of town on the grounds of the Benton County Harmonial Society (marker on AR 72). The post transferred to Camp Stephens. The barracks were burned in 1864.

Camp Jackson
(1861), Maysville
A CSA camp located outside town. Possibly aka Camp McCulloch ?

Camp Carr
(1862), Benton County
A Union camp located on Big Sugar Creek.

McKissick's Spring Camp
(1862), Centerton
A Union encampment occupied before the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 1862).

Camp Van Winkle or
(1860's), Bentonville
A Civil War encampment at the War Eagle Mill (marker located on the west-side of the bridge).

Camp Stephens
(1861 - 1863), near Bentonville
A CSA camp located along Little Sugar and Brush Creeks (marker at AR 72 and Sugar Creek Road). Occupied by Union forces after the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 1862).

Camp Culloden
(1861), near Harrison
A temporary CSA cavalry camp, later moved to Camp Hardee.

Camp Hardee
(1861 - 1862), Marshall
A CSA camp. Abandoned during the 1862 Pea Ridge Campaign. The town's name was originally Burrowsville.

Fort Douglas
(unknown dates), Fort Douglas
Apparently some kind of fort was here, but unknown at this time.

Camp McIntosh
(1860's), Ozark
A CSA camp.

Dardanelle Stockade
(1864 - 1865), Dardanelle
A Union-built stockade surrounded the town, attacked by CSA forces in January 1865.

Cadron Settlement (Memorial)
(1780's or 1790's), near Conway
A trading post, also known as Quadrant, operated by the local French settlers.

Little Rock Barracks
(MacArthur Park)
(1837 - 1890), Little Rock
Located at East Ninth and Commerce Streets. Originally named Post at Little Rock, or Fort Little Rock. Seized by Confederates in 1861. Recaptured by the Union in September 1863. Renamed in 1873. Abandoned in 1890, the site was given to the city in 1892 as a trade for new property in North Little Rock for Fort Roots.

Little Rock Arsenal
(Arkansas Museum of Science and History)
(1840 - 1873), Little Rock
Adjacent to Fort Little Rock. Originally composed of over 25 buildings. The Confederates took over the site in 1861, and tried to destroy it in 1863 as they fled the advancing Union army. It was rebuilt after the war. Merged with Little Rock Barracks in 1873. The last remaining structure is now the Arkansas Museum of Science and History (since 1927). Admission fee.

Fort Steele
(1863), Little Rock
A temporary Union fort located a few blocks southwest of Mount Holly Cemetery.

Camp Dodge
(1898), Little Rock
A Spanish-American War muster camp, located at College Ave. and 17th Street.

Civil War Defenses of Little Rock
(1863), North Little Rock
Four CSA works protected the eastern approaches to Little Rock in advance of the Union army; one located at Woodruff's Mill; another on the Arkansas River directly across from the present-day airport; one along the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad south of Ink Bayou; and one at a road junction between Ink Bayou and Five Mile Creek.

CSA Camp Crystal Hill was located on Crystal Hill, northwest of present-day Burns Park (near I-40 and I-430 interchange).

Fort Logan H. Roots
(1893 - 1917), North Little Rock
Little Rock Barracks was moved here in 1893, renamed in 1897. Closed in 1917 when Camp Pike was established north of the city, and converted to the present-day VA Hospital in 1921.

Camp Joseph T. Robinson (State Military Reservation)
(1917 - present), North Little Rock
A National Army cantonment training area, infantry replacement center, and demobilization center, originally named Camp Pike, used for the 87th Division. Reverted to the state in 1920, most of the buildings were removed by 1923. Used for state guard training. Name changed in 1937. Federalized again in 1940 for WWII training. Reverted back again to the state in 1947. The Arkansas National Guard Museum is in Lloyd England Hall. Still in use by the state guard and Army Reserve.

Camp Nelson
(1862), Austin
A CSA camp. Now a Confederate Cemetery.

Camp Pine Bluff
(1863 - 1869), Pine Bluff
A Union camp. Confederates attacked one month after its establishment. The camp was still in use through Reconstruction.

Arkansas Post (National Memorial)
(1686 - 1821), near Gillett ¤ National Archives MAP ¤
This is the state's first permanent white settlement. Also known as Poste de Arkansea, and Fort les Arcansas. Due to the Arkansas River's periodic flooding, this fort was relocated seven times in its history. The original French site (with only a six-man garrison) is probably underwater, located about five miles downriver of the present-day park. It was rebuilt in 1748 near Lake Dumond, and again in 1752. The Spanish took control in 1765, renamed Fort San Carlos or Fort Carlos III (1765 - 1783, rebuilt 1771, 1779). It was described as a polygonal stockade with one 3-pounder gun in each face of each bastion, manned by 30 troops. It was attacked by the British in 1783, making this the only battle of the American Revolution to take place in Arkansas. A replica of this fort has been built near the visitors' center. Extensive flooding forced a new fort to be built named Fort San Estevan de Arkanzas (1791 - 1804, rebuilt 1796). Even though the French took control of Louisiana in 1800, the Spanish never relinquished their forts in the territory. The Americans then took over in 1804 after purchasing the territory from the French in 1803. A government Indian Factory was established here from 1805 - 1810.
Confederate troops built an 11-gun earthen fort here called Fort Hindman (1861 - 1863). The Union destroyed it in January 1863 after the Confederates surrendered and evacuated. The site is now underwater. CSA rifle pits still exist.

Guachoya
(1542), near McArthur ?
A strongly palisaded Indian village visited by Hernando DeSoto in April 1542. Located south of the Arkansas River, probably east of town, apparently near a no longer extant channel connecting Bayou Macon with the Mississippi River. DeSoto fell ill with fever and died here on May 21, 1542 (Old Style). He was originally buried near the palisade gate, but the natives discovered the grave, and the Spanish secretly exhumed the body and cast it into the Mississippi River. Luis Moscoso de Alvarado then took command of the expedition, and in June 1542 they moved on.

DeValls Bluff Arsenal
(1863 - 1865), DeValls Bluff
A Union arsenal and barracks during the Civil War. It was later used as a hospital, courthouse, and opera house after the war.

St. Charles Battery
(1862), St. Charles
A Confederate shore battery that was never completed. It was abandoned on the advance of Union gunboats upriver (June 1862). Before it was abandoned, a shot was fired at the U.S.S. Mound City, hitting a steam pipe which then ruptured and killed over 150 men.

Aminoya
(1542 - 1543), near Old Town ?
Two large palisaded Indian villages, about half a Spanish league apart, visited by the remnants of the DeSoto Expedition in December 1542. The Spanish occupied one village for winter quarters, and tore down the other to build additional houses and seven keelboats. The Spanish finally left in July 1543 in their boats down the Mississippi River, not arriving in Veracruz, Mexico until September 1543.

Civil War Defenses of Helena
(1861 - 1864), Helena
Fort Reiter (1861 - 1862) a CSA work located on Reiter's Hill.

The city was captured by Union forces in July 1862, and held throughout the war. Union defenses included:
Fort Curtis a three-gun work protecting the river port.
Fort Pinney an outpost located along the river.
Four two-gun batteries (Batteries A, B, C, D) supported the fort, and are still to be found. They are on private property, but are marked on a driving tour. Battery C is located on Graveyard Hill, and Battery D is located on Crowley's Ridge (Hindman Hill). The Confederates unsuccessfully attacked in July 1863.

Fort St. Francis
(1738 - 1740), near Helena
A French fort built at the mouth of the St. Francis River. It was said to be a square-bastioned palisade, with Officers' quarters, barracks, powder magazine, bakehouses, hospital, and warehouses. It was destroyed after it was no longer needed in the French campaign against the Chickasaw Indians.
(NOTE: another name probably associated with this post is Fort Kappa.)

Fort Esperanza
(1797 - 1803), West Memphis
Built by the Spanish after being forced out of Fort Barrancas in present-day Memphis, TN by the Americans. The settlement around the fort came to be called Hopefield. The town was burned during the Civil War, and the river has since washed away all traces of the town and old fort.

Casqui
(Parkin Archaeological State Park)
(1000 - 1550), Parkin
A 17-acre palisaded and moated village of the Mississippian Indian culture. Visited twice by Hernando DeSoto, in June and July 1542.

Upper Nodena
(1350 - 1700), Wilson
A 15-acre palisaded village of the Mississippian Indian culture.

Fort Osceola
(1861 - 1862), Osceola
A CSA fort located on Plum Point.

NEED MORE INFO: CSA Fort Minor (1862) undetermined location. CSA Fort Rector (1862) undetermined location. Federal Red Fork Fort (1834) undetermined location. CSA Camp McCulloch (1861) undetermined location.
Street names: Battery Street in Little Rock.

Towns: Fort Douglas in Johnson County.