Fort Harker (Alabama)
Encyclopedia
Fort Harker, located near Stevenson
, Alabama
, was a military fortification
built by the Union
Army during the American Civil War
. Constructed in the summer of 1862 by soldier
s and freed slaves
of the Army of the Cumberland
, the fort helped secure strategic railroad lines to ensure the free movement of Union troops and supplies in southeastern Tennessee
and northeastern Alabama. Union General William Rosecrans
established his headquarters at Fort Harker in July, 1863, from where he directed a successful campaign against the position of Confederate
General Braxton Bragg
in Chattanooga
, Tennessee. The fort would be abandoned after the war and fall into disrepair. After restoration, the site became a city park in 1985.
and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The location of the fort placed it within firing range of the town, railroads, supply depot
s, and warehouse
s. In addition to Fort Harker, the Union Army established a hospital
and a refugee camp
in the town. The Union position would prevent Confederate troops from using the railroads in the defense of Chattanooga and secure critical supply lines for the Army of the Cumberland.
The design of the fort is typical of many built during the American Civil War. The fort was constructed as a square earthen redoubt
, 45 meters (150 feet) on a side. The walls were constructed of rammed earth
4.3 meters (14 feet) high, surrounded by a 2.5 meter (8 foot) deep dry moat
. The fort was armed with seven barbette
s for heavy cannon
, and a bomb-proof powder magazine
. Access to the fort was by draw bridge across the moat. An eight-sided wooden blockhouse
was situated at the center of the redoubt.
General Rosecrans established his headquarters at Fort Harker in July, 1863, from where he directed a successful campaign against the position of Confederate
General Braxton Bragg
and the Army of Tennessee
in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After the decisive defeat of the Confederate Army, Rosecrans failed to vigorously pursue his enemy. Bragg and his troops retreated in an orderly fashion southeast into Georgia
, where Rosecrans and Bragg would meet again in the Battle of Chickamauga
. The Union army at Chickamauga was soundly defeated and all but routed, forcing Rosecrans and his men to retreat back to Chattanooga. Besieged by Confederate troops, Rosecrans was relieved of his command by General Ulysses S. Grant
, who placed General George H. Thomas in command. The Battle of Chattanooga began on November 24, 1963, and the Union victory would secure southeastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama, including Fort Harker, for the duration of the war.
Fort Harker was abandoned at the end of the American Civil War. It fell into disrepair, and was used by local residents for agricultural purposes, including garden
s and hog farming. Excavation of the site for historical preservation began in 1976. Restoration of the site for public access began in 1985. Repairs to the fort addressed damage cause by mountain bike
riders and the use of the fort walls for target practice by the Stevenson Police Department.
observation platform has been built providing scenic views of nearby Crow Creek. The fort is on the National Register of Historic Places
. An historical marker has been placed at the fort by the Alabama Historical Commission
.
Stevenson, Alabama
Stevenson is a city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 1,770.-Geography:Stevenson is located at ....
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, was a military fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
built by the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Army during the American 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...
. Constructed in the summer of 1862 by soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s and freed slaves
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
of the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
, the fort helped secure strategic railroad lines to ensure the free movement of Union troops and supplies in southeastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and northeastern Alabama. Union General William Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
established his headquarters at Fort Harker in July, 1863, from where he directed a successful campaign against the position of Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, Tennessee. The fort would be abandoned after the war and fall into disrepair. After restoration, the site became a city park in 1985.
History
Fort Harker was built to defend a strategic position captured by Union troops in northeastern Alabama. Situated atop a hill east of the town of Stevenson, it was constructed in the summer of 1862 by soldiers and freed slaves of the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Union General William Rosecrans. Stevenson was located at the junction for the Memphis and Charleston RailroadMemphis and Charleston Railroad
The Memphis and Charleston Railroad, completed in 1857, was the first railroad in the United States to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River. Chartered in 1846 the railroad ran from Memphis, Tennessee to Stevenson, Alabama through the towns of Corinth, Mississippi and Huntsville,...
and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The location of the fort placed it within firing range of the town, railroads, supply depot
Distribution center
A distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part, the order...
s, and warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s. In addition to Fort Harker, the Union Army established a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and a refugee camp
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
in the town. The Union position would prevent Confederate troops from using the railroads in the defense of Chattanooga and secure critical supply lines for the Army of the Cumberland.
The design of the fort is typical of many built during the American Civil War. The fort was constructed as a square earthen redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
, 45 meters (150 feet) on a side. The walls were constructed of rammed earth
Rammed earth
Rammed earth, also known as taipa , tapial , and pisé , is a technique for building walls using the raw materials of earth, chalk, lime and gravel. It is an ancient building method that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods...
4.3 meters (14 feet) high, surrounded by a 2.5 meter (8 foot) deep dry moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
. The fort was armed with seven barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s for heavy cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, and a bomb-proof powder magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
. Access to the fort was by draw bridge across the moat. An eight-sided wooden blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
was situated at the center of the redoubt.
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
and the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After the decisive defeat of the Confederate Army, Rosecrans failed to vigorously pursue his enemy. Bragg and his troops retreated in an orderly fashion southeast into Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, where Rosecrans and Bragg would meet again in the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
. The Union army at Chickamauga was soundly defeated and all but routed, forcing Rosecrans and his men to retreat back to Chattanooga. Besieged by Confederate troops, Rosecrans was relieved of his command by General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, who placed General George H. Thomas in command. The Battle of Chattanooga began on November 24, 1963, and the Union victory would secure southeastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama, including Fort Harker, for the duration of the war.
Fort Harker was abandoned at the end of the American Civil War. It fell into disrepair, and was used by local residents for agricultural purposes, including garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s and hog farming. Excavation of the site for historical preservation began in 1976. Restoration of the site for public access began in 1985. Repairs to the fort addressed damage cause by mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
riders and the use of the fort walls for target practice by the Stevenson Police Department.
Park
Fort Harker is managed as a city park by the City of Stevenson, Alabama. In addition to the historic redoubt, a wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
observation platform has been built providing scenic views of nearby Crow Creek. The fort is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. An historical marker has been placed at the fort by the Alabama Historical Commission
Alabama Historical Commission
The Alabama Historical Commission is the historic preservation agency for the U. S. state of Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission of safeguarding Alabama’s historic buildings and sites. It consists of twenty members appointed by the state...
.
External links
- Fort Harker Historical Marker - Alabama Historical Commission
- Image of Fort Harker