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 The Moat - Fort Davidson - Pilot Knob, MO Posted by:  YoSam.
N 37° 37.205 W 090° 38.399
15S E 708282 N 4166282
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: WMM6GT
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 07/30/2014
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.
Web link: [Web Link]
History of Mark:
"View of the Armored Plan of Fort Davidson at Pilot Knob, Mo. as surveyed and Drawn by Sergt. Henry C Wilkinson, one of the participants at the battle of Pilot Knob, Mo. Sept. 24 1864, 10:35 A.M. to 2 P.M., as photoed by J. Siler of 1006 S. 7th St., St. Louis Mo., by permission of Sergt. Wilkinson, the original design surveyor of Wayne Co. Mo. This is conceded to be the finest designed and reproduced plan of the fort ever presented to the public. It is of great value to the survivors of this battle, which was never officially reported by its commanding officer, Genl. Thos. Ewing, Jr. The peculiar pressing circumstances attending the battle: the shrewed evacuation of the fort.- the saving a ton of ammunition by private W. H. Moore, Co. H, 3rd Regiment M.S.M., at 1:20 A.M. of September 28, he rejoining Capt. H. B. Milks and the 20 men, helped to save that powder - the retreat so well covered by Captain Wm. J. Campbell to Leasburg thence to Rolla, Mo. 120 Miles, were certainly exciting events - no report of the battle was made. The 13 cannon mounted in the fort during the battle are shown in the correct positions, etc. 1914"
~ Civil War Album
Additional point: Not Listed
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