Battle of Arkansas Post - Part One

Arkansas Post National Memorial preserves one of the most fascinating historic sites to be found anywhere in the Mississippi River Valley.

First settled by the French in 1686, the "Post de Arkansae" was the first permanent European settlement in the Mississippi Valley. Occupied by the French and Spanish until the time of the Louisiana Purchase, the post was relocated several times due to severe floods.

A key base for French fur trappers who hunted and explored vast regions of the American West, the post was the site of a series of forts held by French and Spanish forces (depending on which country held possession of the region).

Although a number of places claim the distinction of having been the location of the last battle of the American Revolution, the real "last battle" of the war was fought here at Arkansas Post. On April 17, 1783, well after the dates of all of the other "last battles," British partisans attacked Fort Carlos II at Arkansas Post. A bold counter-attack by the Spanish garrison (Spain was allied with the American colonists during the Revolution) resulted in the retreat of the attackers and the last battle of the American Revolution, like the war, ended as an American victory.

American troops took possession of Arkansas Post in 1804 following Thomas Jefferson's successful negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase and in 1819 the growing town at the site was named as the first territorial capital of Arkansas. The first newspaper in the territory, the Arkansas Gazette was published at Arkansas Post during the same year.

Although the town eventually gave way to Little Rock, Arkansas Post remained an important riverboat port and cotton shipping point until the outbreak of the Civil War. Tens of thousands of bales of cotton went out from the plantations of the Arkansas Delta to the factories of the North and Europe from the landing at Arkansas Post.

The eruption of the war between North and South brought Arkansas Post back to the forefront of governmental attention, but this time because of its strategic military location. The location of the bluff on a sharp bend of the lower Arkansas River made it an ideal location for defensive works to protect the upriver plantations and, in fact, the entire Arkansas River valley. To reach Little Rock, Fort Smith and the Indian Territory by water, Union forces would have to break through at Arkansas Post.

As our series continues, we will look closer at the fortifications erected by the Confederates to defend Arkansas Post and the Arkansas River Valley. Until the next post, you can read more by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arkansaspost.

Independence Day - A Flashback to the American Revolution

The primary purpose of Arkansas in the Civil War is to focus on sites of Civil War interest, but in celebration of Independence Day, I thought it might be worthwhile to pause and visit the Arkansas site of the last battle of the American Revolution.

On April 17, 1783, long after all of the other supposed "last battles" of the Revolution, a force of British partisans led by James Colbert attacked the Spanish fort at Arkansas Post.

Spain had formed an alliance with the fledgling United States and fought in a number of battles of the American Revolution, including the ones at both Pensacola and Mobile. Their fort at Arkansas Post, however, had not come under attack during the war until Colbert led his command across the Mississippi River and into the swamps of the Delta.

Moving into position in and around the adjacent village of Arkansas Post, Colbert's men struck the fort at dawn on the morning of April 17th. Rounding up the civilizians and seizing Spanish cannon, Colbert attacked the walls of the fort shortly after 6 a.m. The garrison held out, however, and a sharp battle opened that continued for about 3 hours.

Even though he had only 14 soldiers in the fort, Jacabo de Brueil decided to sally out and attack Colbert before his men could position artillery to bombard the fort. They were preparing for their attack when suddenly they saw a white flag approaching the fort with a demand to surrender. After reading the demand, he ordered the attack.

Yelling as loudly as they could to create the impression of a much larger force, the little band of Spanish soldiers and volunteers stormed out of the gates of the fort. The bold ruse worked. Thinking they were about to be slaughtered, Colbert's men broke and ran. The fort held and the Battle of Arkansas Post was over.

The last battle of the American Revolution was unique from a number of perspectives. It was a Spanish victory, it was one of only two battles fought west of the Mississippi River during the war, it resulted in the last loss of life of the Revolution and was noted for the death of an African American soldier who took up arms to defend the town when the British attacked. He was one of the last soldiers killed in the American Revolution.

The site of the battle is now interpreted at Arkansas Post National Memorial. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arkansaspost.

Please have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July!