Battle of Cotton Plant
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cotton Plant (also known as the Battle of Hill's Plantation or the Battle of Cache River) occurred on July 7, 1862 in Woodruff County, Arkansas, during the American Civil War
.
During the summer of 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis planned to move his army toward Helena, Arkansas
, in search of supplies to replace those that had been promised but never delivered by the U. S. Navy. The Confederates
skirmished with Union troops
as the Federals marched south along the White River
toward the supply flotilla waiting at Clarendon
. On July 7, 1862, Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman
ordered Brig. Gen. Albert Rust
to stop them at the Cache River
. Rust moved too slowly, so the forward elements of his force did not strike until 4 miles south of the river on Parley Hill's plantation near Cotton Plant
. The outnumbered Illinois
and Wisconsin
infantry commanded by Union Col. Charles E. Hovey
repulsed repeated, poorly organized attacks by Confederate Col. William H. Parsons's two Texas
cavalry
regiments. The Confederates fled when Federal reinforcements arrived. On July 8, the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, under the command of newly promoted Brig. Gen. Cadwallader C. Washburn
, pursued the Confederates to the Cache River, destroying two ferry boats and capturing several prisoners.
Curtis proceeded to Clarendon, only to find that the flotilla had departed the previous day. He turned east toward Helena and occupied it on July 12. Federal forces controlled the town for the duration of the war. Nevertheless, Hindman, despite suffering defeat, remained between Curtis and Little Rock, his objective.
. The Union victory enabled Federal forces to move toward Helena and occupy that strategic town on the Mississippi River
for the duration of the Civil War.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
During the summer of 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis planned to move his army toward Helena, Arkansas
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
, in search of supplies to replace those that had been promised but never delivered by the U. S. Navy. The Confederates
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
skirmished with Union troops
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as the Federals marched south along the White River
White River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
toward the supply flotilla waiting at Clarendon
Clarendon, Arkansas
Clarendon is a city in Monroe County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,960 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Clarendon is located at ....
. On July 7, 1862, Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman
Thomas C. Hindman
Thomas Carmichael Hindman, Jr. was a lawyer, United States Representative from the 1st Congressional District of Arkansas, and a Major General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
ordered Brig. Gen. Albert Rust
Albert Rust
Albert Rust was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas, and a delegate to the Provisional Confederate Congress...
to stop them at the Cache River
Cache River (Arkansas)
The Cache River is a tributary of the White River, 213 mi long, in northeastern Arkansas in the United States. Its headwaters also drain a small portion of southeastern Missouri...
. Rust moved too slowly, so the forward elements of his force did not strike until 4 miles south of the river on Parley Hill's plantation near Cotton Plant
Cotton Plant, Arkansas
Cotton Plant is a city in Woodruff County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 960.-Geography:Cotton Plant is located at ....
. The outnumbered Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
infantry commanded by Union Col. Charles E. Hovey
Charles Edward Hovey
Charles Edward Hovey was an educator, college president, pension lobbyist and a brevet major general in the United States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
repulsed repeated, poorly organized attacks by Confederate Col. William H. Parsons's two Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiments. The Confederates fled when Federal reinforcements arrived. On July 8, the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, under the command of newly promoted Brig. Gen. Cadwallader C. Washburn
Cadwallader C. Washburn
Cadwallader Colden Washburn was an American businessman, politician, and soldier noted for founding what would later become General Mills and working in government for Wisconsin. He was born in Livermore, Maine, one of seven brothers that included Israel Washburn, Jr., Elihu B. Washburne, William D...
, pursued the Confederates to the Cache River, destroying two ferry boats and capturing several prisoners.
Curtis proceeded to Clarendon, only to find that the flotilla had departed the previous day. He turned east toward Helena and occupied it on July 12. Federal forces controlled the town for the duration of the war. Nevertheless, Hindman, despite suffering defeat, remained between Curtis and Little Rock, his objective.
Battlefield today
The Battle of Cotton Plant, designated one of the Civil War's 384 principal battlefields by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission in 1993, has regional/state significance because it had an observable influence on the outcome of the Vicksburg CampaignVicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
. The Union victory enabled Federal forces to move toward Helena and occupy that strategic town on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
for the duration of the Civil War.