How to Research the Battle of Arkansas Post

The battle of Arkansas Post was a Union victory that was fought from Jan. 9 to 11, 1863, at Fort Hindman, Arkansas. Major General John A. McClernand captured Fort Hindman in order to stop the Confederates from disrupting shipping on the Mississippi River. The following steps will aid in your search for information about this Civil War battle.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Search history websites to understand the significance of this battle. It eased Union shipping on the Mississippi and cost Arkansas one-fourth of its forces. It was the largest surrender of the Confederacy west of the Mississippi River before the final surrender of the Confederates in 1865.
2. Look for information about an overview of this battle. Read up on why Union troops began arriving by boat near Arkansas Post during the night of Jan. 9. Union infantry commanded by Major General William T. Sherman advanced on Fort Hindman and pushed the Confederates back to the fort.
3. Examine how most of the Arkansas and Texas troops under Brigadier General Thomas J. Churchill's command occupied the rifle pits by the time the Union troops had reached their attack positions on the evening of Jan. 10. The ironclads Baron DeKalb, Cincinnati and Louisville bombarded Fort Hindman, killing most of the Confederate's horses in and around the fort. It was too dark for the Union army to attack by the time the naval bombardment was complete.
4. Research how the Union infantry moved into attack position on Jan. 11. The Union ships shelled the fort and cut off the retreat routes. The Confederates surrendered in the afternoon when McClernand's troops attacked. There were an estimated 1,047 Union and 5,500 Confederate casualties.