Battle of Arkansas Post (1863)

Battle of Arkansas Post
Part of the American Civil War
The Bombardment and Capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, Ark. Jany. 11th 1863 by Currier & Ives
Date January 9–11, 1863 Location Arkansas Post, Arkansas 34°01′00″N 91°20′43″W / 34.01667°N 91.34528°W / 34.01667; -91.34528 Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
John A. McClernand David D. Porter	Thomas J. Churchill
Units involved
Army of the Mississippi Mississippi Squadron	Garrison of Fort Hindman
Strength
~30,000	~5,000
Casualties and losses
1,092	60 killed ~80 wounded 4,791 captured
Arkansas Post class=notpageimage| Location within Arkansas

The Battle of Arkansas Post, also known as Battle of Fort Hindman, was fought from January 9 to 11, 1863, along the Arkansas River at Arkansas Post, Arkansas, as part of the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. Confederate forces constructed Fort Hindman near Arkansas Post in late 1862. Also in late 1862, Major General John A. McClernand of the Union Army was authorized to recruit troops in the midwest in preparation for an expedition down the Mississippi River against Vicksburg, Mississippi. Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant began an overland campaign against Vicksburg along the Mississippi Central Railroad in November. Grant and Union General-in-chief Henry Halleck did not trust McClernand, and through machinations place the start of the riverine movement against Vicksburg under the command of Major General William T. Sherman before McClernand could arrive. Sherman's movement was defeated in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou in late December, and Confederate cavalry raids forced Grant to abandon his overland campaign.

McClernand arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, in late December and found that Sherman had left without him. McClernand moved downriver, joined Sherman's force, and took command in early January 1863, calling it the Army of the Mississippi. Both Sherman and McClernand had independently come to the conclusion that Arkansas Post should be attacked. David Dixon Porter's Union Navy fleet and McClernand's troops moved upriver towards the Arkansas River, but entered the White River first as a diversion. After moving through a cutoff into the Arkansas River, the expedition began unloading troops downriver from the fort late on January 9. The next day, some of Porter's warships bombarded the fort, while McClernand's troops maneuvered into position. At 1:00 pm on January 11, Porter's warships began another bombardment of the fort, and McClernand's troops attacked the Confederate positions, which consisted of the fort and a line of rifle pits that extended west to a bayou.

McClernand's attack was repulsed, but white flags of surrender began to appear over parts of the Confederate line in uncertain circumstances. Confusion ensued, and Union troops moved up close to and swamped parts of the Confederate line. The Confederate commander, Brigadier General Thomas J. Churchill, agreed to surrender. When Grant learned of the operation against Arkansas Post, he disapproved and ordered McClernand back to the Mississippi River, although Grant was later convinced of the wisdom of the operation. Grant relieved McClernand of command of the operations against Vicksburg on January 30 and took command of the campaign personally. In April and May, Grant's army crossed the Mississippi River downriver from Vicksburg and won a series of battles. The Confederate forces withdrew into the Vicksburg defenses in mid-May. The Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863; this was a key event in the outcome of the war.