Jenkins' Ferry, Part Four

This photo gives you a good idea of the appearance of the actual battlefield at Jenkins' Ferry as it appears today.

This vast swampy scene of the battle is located across the Saline River from Jenkins' Ferry State Park and remains on private property. Access is restricted, so please respect private property rights.

At the time of the battle, as seen here, the white oak swamps bordering the Saline River were overflowing and the men of both sides fought in water, muck and mud. This contributed greatly to the inability of Confederate commanders to properly coordinate their attacks and proved an advantage to the Federals in defending their wagon trains until they could get them across the river.

If you would like to read more about the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jenkinsferry1. I'll be adding other Arkansas sites from the Red River campaign over the next few weeks.