Fort Hindman

 (1861-1863) - A Confederate U.S. Civil War earthworks fort established in 1861 by Colonel John W. Dunnington, Confederate States Navy, in Arkansas County, Arkansas. Named for Confederate General Thomas C. Hindman of Arkansas. Surrendered to Union forces in 1863 and destroyed by the Union forces.

History
The fort was constructed in 1861 as a square earthworks with full bastions on each of the four corners, surrounded with a ditch, 20 feet wide and 8 foot deep. The fort was 300 feet wide from bastion to bastion with an 18 foot wide parapet around the top. Armament consisted of four 6 pounder smooth bore cannons, two 9" Columbiads, one 8" Columbiad and four 3" Parrott rifles. The post was built on a high bluff that had a commanding view of the river for a mile in both directions and the land side approaches to the fort were protected by a series of trenches and rifle pits. The defending garrison numbered some 5000 troops.

Union ships landed troops for a combined land and river assault on 9 Jan 1863. The Confederate forces were driven back into the fort itself where they were attacked by the advancing troops, Union artillery across the river and Union gunboats in the river. The fort was pulverized and the Confederate commander surrendered the entire 5,500 man garrison on 11 Jan 1863. The Union forces destroyed what remained of the post.

Current Status
Part of Arkansas Post National Memorial Park, Arkansas County, Arkansas. The actual site is now underwater but some of the Inland Confederate rifle pits still exist.

Sources:
 * , page 51-52

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Hindman
 * Wikipedia - The Battle of Fort Hindman