The Moat - Fort Davidson - Pilot Knob, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 37.205 W 090° 38.399
15S E 708282 N 4166283
As men charged the fort, gunfire echoed, a bloody battle waged on beneath a thick cloud of sulfurous smoke. Only one brigade succeeded in reaching the fort, but were unable to conquer the fort’s walls and became victim to wooden-finned grenades.
Waymark Code: WM117EB
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 08/31/2019
Views: 1
County of marker: Iron County
Location of marker: St. Mary's St. (MO 21) & Maple St., Fort Davidson Historic Site, Pilot Knob
Marker erected by: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State parks
Marker text: The Moat
A dry moat surrounded Fort Davidson. During the third and final desperate Confederate assault, Arkansas troops of General William Cabell's brigade fought their way into the moat and prepared to climb the wall. Hand grenades were brought from the magazine to drive them out
"...We rushed back to the banquette with the grenades and passed them to the men in front,
with orders to throw them into the ditch. Pandemonium instantly broke loose...Men were blown
above the parapet and fell back dead; the ditches were cleared as if by magic. It struck terror to
the enemy's lines, and they fell back in disorder..."
Captain William J. Campbell,
14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry
Confederate officers blamed the failure of the assault on the depth of the moat and the steepness of the fort walls.