Fort Pemberton
Posted by: 
Truly Jones
N 33° 31.839 W 090° 14.049
15S E 756855 N 3713543
Site of hastily-built Confederate fort to protect water route to Vicksburg via the Yazoo River; the captured U.S. Steamer "Star of the West" was scuttled here to block Grant's initial amphibious campaign on Vicksburg in early 1863.
Waymark Code: WM6Y5Y
Location: Mississippi, United States
Date Posted: 08/04/2009
Views: 15
In the 1863 Civil War campaign against Vicksburg, General Grant tried several approaches, one being to send troops on transports down the Tallahatchie and Yazoo Rivers to the North of Vicksburg. He cut the Mississippi River levee in February, which flooded several bayous between the Mississippi and Tallahatchie Rivers, making a navigable connection. 22 transports with 5,000 troops, 2 ironclads, 2 rams and 6 light draft gunboats made up the first expedition, which was laster reinforced with another brigade and additional vessels. It took several weeks to make the 200 mile trip, as the bayous were narrow and tortuous.
Apprised of the Federal plans, Confederate General John C. Pemberton (in charge of protecting Vicksburg) ordered the construction of a fort to block the enemy forces. The engineers selected a location where the Tallahatchie makes an abrupt turn easterly, the river flowing to this point in a straight stretch, and where there was room for only 2 gunboats abreast. Thus, the Confederates would be shooting down a straight alley. To further impede the enemy, the steamship 'Star of the West' (which had received the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter) was sunk in the channel. Fort Pemberton was hastily built of cotton bales covered with earth. The fort was manned by 1,500 soldiers under the command of Brigadier General W.W. Loring.
The Federal flotilla arrived on March 11, 1863. The 2 ironclads were attacked at 1,000 yards and damaged. The Federals had to retreat to the Mississippi river. Grant had failed to reach Vicksburg by the Tallahatchie-Yazoo Route. - information from pamphlet on Fort Pemberton written by Greenwood historian Henry McCabe
(After the 'Star of the West' was attacked at Fort Sumter, she was used by the Federals in their service until captured early in 1863 by General VanDorn of Mississippi. She entered the Mississippi River by way of New Orleans, thence to Fort Pemberton. The order to scuttle her was carried out by 1st Lt. Azro A. Stoddard. His grave, along with 400 other Confederate soldiers, is located in the Old Greenwood Cemetary(see Waywark).
Date Installed:: 1976/01/01
Organization that placed the object:: Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Related Website:: [Web Link]
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