It was April 29, 1864. The Confederate soldiers had just caught up with the Federal army that was retreating from Camden.
Major General Frederick Steele’s Union column arrived at the Saline River and without delay engineers began building pontoons across the swollen river. General John Sappington Marmaduke’s Confederate troops arrived and the skirmish began. The battle lasted until April 30, 1864, ending in a Union victory. The Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry was one of the most violent Civil War conflicts in our history with accusations of atrocities committed by both sides. It will make you rethink the history of Civil War Arkansas.
If you are intrigued by the Civil War in Arkansas, you may be interested in an event in Little Rock Saturday, December 15. Joe Walker, author of Harvest of Death: the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry, will be signing copies and showcasing additional data on the engagement he has collected at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.
Walker is from Grant County and is a founding member of the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry Chapter of the Military Order of Stars and Bars. He is also a charter member of the Friends of Jenkins’ Ferry Battlefield. Harvest of Death: the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry is the first major work dedicated to the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry in 50 years.
The lecture/discussion will be 1 p.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, followed by a question-and-answer session. Copies of the book will be for sale. If you are like me, a true Civil War history researcher, you will love this lecture. I cannot wait to see you there!
