Step Back In Time And Visit One Of The Only Remaining Civil War Forts In Southeastern Missouri
By Liz Oliver|Published April 21, 2018
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Liz Oliver
Author
Liz is a Missouri native with a B.A. in English from Mizzou and a M.A. in Non-Profit Administration from Lindenwood University. She works for a STL metro-area community college and enjoys writing, traveling, and indoor cycling. Her true passion is forcing her encyclopedic knowledge of Missouri facts on uninterested strangers from across the globe!
During the Civil War, Missouri citizens struggled to find common ground. Officially, Missouri remained in the Union but Missouri was considered a border state and was hotly contested by the Union and Confederate supporters who lived here. Many battles were fought in the Show Me State and today there are many sites dedicated to Missouri’s Civil War history. One such site is located in Cape Girardeau where a small battle occurred. History buffs will love visiting one of the last remaining Civil War forts located in the state. Keep reading to learn more about this historic fort and where you can find it.
In 1861, Ulysses S. Grant approved the construction of four forts in the city of Cape Girardeau. Two forts were placed on river bluffs and two forts were located inland to protect against a Confederate attack.
Although tensions were high, citizens of Cape Girardeau still felt that the war would stay far from their soil. At the time most of the skirmishes and battles were happening on the western side of the state.
Fort D, one of two Mississippi facing forts, was designed to protect the city from gunboats that could travel up the river. Cannons were placed strategically around the fort with ammunition housed in the center.
On April 25th 1863, Union General John McNeil received word that the Confederate solders were headed toward Cape. The general evacuated women and children from the city by steamboat that night. The Confederates came from the west and by 10 AM the attack had begun.
Since the battle did not take place on the riverfront, Fort D was virtually untouched. The battle lasted only a few hours. The city was so well fortified that the Confederates were forced to retreat.
By the early 1900's residents decided that the only remaining fort, Fort D, needed to be preserved. The city became the caretaker of the property and replica powder house.
Over the years the powder house was used as a Girl Scout recreation building, residence, and senior center. After sitting vacant for a decade or so, the city once again invested in this historic property.
Today you can visit the site and read about it's historical importance. Throughout the year you can also catch historical reenactments and take guided tours of the site.
