US Researchโ€บConflictsโ€บCivil Warโ€บArkansasโ€บSaint Charles
Civil War

Saint Charles

1862
Arkansas
Era
Civil War
Year
1862
Location
Arkansas
Status
Historical record
Part ofTrans-Mississippi Theater โ€บThe Civil War โ€บ
The Battle

History & Significance

Saint Charles was a Civil War engagement fought in Arkansas, 1862. It was a Union victory.

On the morning of June 17, USS Mound City, St. Louis, Lexington, Conestoga, and transports proceeded up White River towards Saint Charles attempting to resupply Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis's army near Jacksonport. A few miles below Saint Charles, the 46th Indiana Infantry under the command of Col. Graham N. Fitch disembarked, formed a skirmish line, and proceeded upriver towards the Rebel batteries on Saint Charles bluffs, under the command of Capt. Joseph Fry, C.S.N. At the same time, the Union gunboats went upriver to engage the Rebel batteries; Mound City was hit and her steam drum exploded scalding most of the crew to death. More than 125 sailors from the Mound City were killed, but the other ship was towed to safety. Col. Fitch halted the gunboat activities to prevent further loss and then undertook an attack on the Confederate batteries with his infantry. He turned the Rebel flank which ended the firing from the batteries and left Saint Charles open to Federal occupation.

Result
Union victory
Forces engaged
46th Indiana and Union Gunboat [US]; fifty men and C.S. boats [CS]
Casualties
290 total (US 135; CS 155)
Around this battlefield

Nearby Civil War engagements

Skirmish, White River near St. Charles
1864 ยท 1 mi away
Skirmish, St. Charles
1863 ยท 1 mi away
Actions, Clarendon, St. Charles, Pikeville, St. Charles River
1864 ยท 1 mi away
Skirmish, St. Charles
1864 ยท 1 mi away
Skirmish, St. Charles
1865 ยท 1 mi away
Skirmish, St. Charles
1864 ยท 1 mi away
Reconnaissance to White River and St. Charles
1863 ยท 1 mi away
Expedition from Clarendon to Lawrenceville and St. Charles
1862 ยท 1 mi away
Engagement, St. Charles, White River
1862 ยท 1 mi away
Skirmish, Indian Bay
1864 ยท 3 mi away
Skirmish, Indian Bay
1864 ยท 3 mi away
Skirmish, Oil Trough Bottom near Cross Roads
1864 ยท 5 mi away
Skirmish, DeGreen's Farm, near Lawrenceville
1863 ยท 11 mi away
Skirmish, Trenton
1862 ยท 17 mi away
Action, Wallace's Ferry, Big Creek
1864 ยท 19 mi away
Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Saint Charles take place?
Saint Charles took place in 1862.
Where was Saint Charles fought?
Saint Charles was fought in Arkansas, United States.
What was the significance of Saint Charles?
On the morning of June 17, USS Mound City, St. Louis, Lexington, Conestoga, and transports proceeded up White River towards Saint Charles attempting to resupply Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis's army near Jacksonport. A few miles below Saint Charles, the 46th Indiana Infantry under the command of Col. Gr
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Everything a full report reveals about Saint Charles

This page covers Saint Charles. A full Aubrey report for the area pulls together this battle alongside historic sites, land records, and everything else the record holds within a few miles:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Saint Charles

St. Charles Battle Site
Civil War ยท 1.3 mi
St. Charles Battle Monument
Listed ยท 1.7 mi
Warrens Bridge
Industrial ยท 5.9 mi
All battles in Arkansasโ€บCivil Warconflicts โ€บHistoric sites in Arkansasโ€บ
Source

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