The Capture of Fort Hindman The Combined Military and Naval Victory on the Arkansas River

Splendid Operations of the Army of the Mississippi – GLORY OF THE GUNBOATS

This fascinating contemporary reporting on the Civil War’s Battle of Arkansas Post was originally published in the January 25, 1863 issue of the New York Herald. About two weeks earlier, the Army of the Mississippi under General John McClernand and the Mississippi Squadron under Admiral David Porter performed combined operations to capture Fort Hindman on the Arkansas River. The successful assault paved the way for the Siege of Vicksburg, in which Union victory would become an important turning point in the overall conflict.

The upper image provides a simple plan of the major actions, noting four lines of defense, prominent geographic features, and the Union gunboats. The lower diagram (also engraved by Waters & Son) presents the Inside of Fort Hindman, while the accompanying text offers a wealth of interesting information about the engagement.