St. Charles Battle Site
National Register of Historic Places

St. Charles Battle Site

St. Charles, Arkansas County, Arkansas
Listed
December 2, 1974
Type
Site
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
74000465

About this property

The Battle of St. Charles was fought on June 17, 1862, at St. Charles, Arkansas, during the American Civil War. Earlier in 1862, a Union Army force commanded by Major General Samuel R. Curtis moved against Little Rock, Arkansas, but became bogged down in the Batesville area due to lack of supplies. The Union leadership decided to send a naval force from Memphis, Tennessee, up the White River to resupply Curtis's men. Major General Thomas C. Hindman, the Confederate commander in Arkansas, had fortifications constructed near St. Charles to stop the Union movement. Two artillery positions were built, and three ships, including CSS Maurepas, were scuttled to obstruct the river. The Union ships advanced against the Confederate positions on June 17. The 46th Indiana Infantry Regiment was sent ashore to attack the fortifications on land, while two ironclads and two timberclads attacked the fort from the river. During the fighting, a Confederate solid shot struck the ironclad USS Mound City, puncturing one of the ship's steam drums. In what has been referred to as the deadliest shot of the war, scalding steam filled the ship, killing or wounding all but about 25 of the roughly 175 men on the vessel. The 46th Indiana overran the Confederate defenses on land and the position was taken. The supply mission was unable to make it all the way to Curtis's position, and withdrew back down the river due to low water levels. Thereafter, Curtis's army cut loose from their supply line and marched to Helena, Arkansas. A portion of the battlefield is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the St. Charles Battle Site.

Location

St. Charles, Arkansas County, Arkansas
34.37806, -91.12617

Categories

MILITARY
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

St. Charles Battle Monument
Listed
0.6 mi
Warrens Bridge
Industrial
7.2 mi
Crocketts Bluff Hunting Lodge
Industrial
7.2 mi
Capps House
Industrial
8.5 mi
Immanuel High School-AR0280
Industrial
11.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Charles Battle Site listed on the National Register?

St. Charles Battle Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1974.

What type of historic resource is St. Charles Battle Site?

St. Charles Battle Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. Charles Battle Site?

The period of significance for St. Charles Battle Site is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1862.

Can I research the history near St. Charles Battle Site?

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