venturing4th: Gibraltar of the West

We went back into Illinois this morning to begin our journey south through Kentucky to Tennessee where we are this evening. Four states, but we only traveled about 100 miles.

This fancy bridge is the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi linking Cape Girardeau, MO and McClure, Illinois

Our first stop was the Cairo Custom House Museum, which was closed on Mondays. We had hoped to see some Civil War artifacts, especially the desk of Gen. U.S. Grant, built in 1872 by U.S. Treasury architect, A.B. Mullett.

While we were standing on the Custom House steps lamenting that we were not able to enter, another couple came up wanting to enter. They were from Chicago (he had on a jacket that was embroidered with the "Shedd Museum") and we struck up a conversation about Cairo. He told us that at one time Cairo was quite a prosperous town but that in the sixtes there was quite a bit of racial conflict and since then the town has died. We can certainly attest to that; it seemed almost deserted.

The couple also told us about Fort Defiance State Park, south of town, that looks like it's closed but we could go explore.

Those of you familiar with Illinois know that Cairo is at the very bottom of Illinois where the Ohio and Mississippi River merge. This panorama shot shows the Ohio River on the left and the Mississippi on the right.

Frederick standing at the tip of Illinois with the two mighty rivers in the background.

There was an observation tower at the tip and we watched some barge traffic on the Mississippi for a bit. As this barge went by we waved and were rewarded with a toot of its horn.

You can see it some in the picture with Frederick, above, by this picture more clearly shows the blue Ohio River merging with the brown, "muddy", Mississippi River.

We didn't see much movement, but there were lots of barges on the Ohio River.

"Proceeding On". We met up with Lewis & Clark again, for on this site, in November 1803, they and their growing contingent of "Corps of Discovery" men spent almost a week teaching each other celestial navigation and surveying skills. Using a sextant, octant, artificial horizon, and reference tables, they successfully obtained the first longitude and latitude data that they would use during the expedition. This sculpture, "Proceeding On", was installed in 2005 to commemorate Lewis & Clark's activities at this location.

This great, and old, tree was at Fort Defiance State Park. The Fort is no longer there, just the outline of the foundations.

Another commemorative monument to Lewis and Clark.

This, more utilitarian looking bridge, took us from Cairo, IL, across the Ohio River, to Barlow, Kentucky.

The Ohio River ready to meet the Mississippi.

Wickliffe Mounds was our next stop but it too was closed. Site of a Native American village of the Mississippian mound building culture, it was first occupied from A.D. 1100 to 1350. Around 900 years ago, Mississippian people moved to this bluff which overlooks the Mississippi River and built a village with earthen mounds, houses and buildings all surrounding a central plaza. Peaceful farmers, they grew corn and squash, hunted in the neighboring forests and fished the river; they made pottery from shell-tempered clay with elaborate designs and decorations; they participated in a vast trade network up and down the rivers; they had stone, shell and bone tools; they had a complex chiefdom level society; they lived in permanent style houses made of wattle and daub; and, they built flat topped platform style mounds. For reasons yet unknown, the village was abandoned after the 1350s.

We were disappointed to find this site closed for the season.

It was then on to Columbus-Belmont State Park, in Kentucky, which describes the Battle of Belmont, a highly significant event in the Civil War because it marked the opening of the campaign in the West, as well as the opening of the Mississippi River to Union supplies. It was also the first Civil War battle commanded by General U.S. Grant, on November 7, 1861. We visited for three hours.

When we called ahead about parking, the nice lady that answered the phone told us that at this time of the year the museum is only open by appointment, but that if we gave her a half hour she would go over and turn on the heat and open it up for us. In the parking lot was this beautiful magnolia (?) tree.

There were also other beautiful trees with late fall color. It was a spectacular day with the temperature at 73 degrees.

The Kentucky seal honoring both sides as Kentucky was a divided state in the Civil War.

This nice lady is Cindy Lynch, Park Manager. She is the one who answered the phone. She came to the museum and gave us a personal tour of the rooms and artifacts.

In September 1861, Confederate General Leonidas Polk, who was also the Bishop of Louisiana, moved his forces from Tennessee to occupy the heights at Columbus, Kentucky and established a camp at Belmont on the Missouri side of the river. Throughout the autumn and winter, as many as 19,000 Confederate troops, as well as 10,000 slaves, labored incessantly to make the position at Columbus impregnable. More than 140 heavy guns were positioned on the bluffs and a huge chain, firmly anchored on the Columbus shore and resting on rafts was stretched across the river. In addition, numerous trenches were dug to further fortify what would be called Fort DeRussey and nicknamed "Gibraltar of the West". General Polk also used submarine batteries and planted mines in the roads. It was the most heavily fortified area the North American Continent had ever seen.

In an effort to stop General Polk from sending reinforcements from Columbus to Missouri, Gen. Grant, stationed at Cairo, decided to attack Belmont. Learning of the impending attack, on the morning of November 7, 1861, Polk sent 2,500 men across the Mississippi to take up positions just beyond the camp at Belmont in Missouri. Grant landed a force of 3,100 men on the Missouri shore. When Polk learned of the Federal approach, he thought it was a feint to disguise an attack on Columbus itself, which was the obvious goal of Grant, and kept his main line of forces in Columbus.

Grant and the Union forces attacked the camp at Belmont from the cover of heavy woods and were able to drive the Confederates to the riverbank and captured the camp, setting fire to it while celebrating their supposed victory. Across the river in Columbus, General Polk was surprised to find no attack developing on his main position. He ordered heavy cannon fire on the Federals in Belmont and sent several regiments to attack the Union forces as they were returning to Cairo. The Union celebration turned suddenly to panic. Some of the officers thought surrender was the only answer. Grant's reply was: "We must cut our way out as we cut our way in."

Losses were heavy for the Union forces as they retreated to their transports but they did succeed in reaching their transports, and, covered by protective fire from their gunboats, re-embarked. The Federals had been driven away and the Confederates counted Belmont their victory, as did the Union. In fact, neither side had won or lost and the Battle of Belmont resulted in the loss of 1,000 lives.

This first major battle of the Western Campaign did enhance Federal morale and was a milestone in the career of Ulysses S. Grant. In a period when generals on both sides felt ill-prepared to meet the enemy and Lincoln was growing desperate for action, Grant showed himself willing to fight. The battle and its aftermath proved Grant's strategical genius as well.

View from the Columbus heights across to Belmont, MO.

Beautiful view down the Mississippi River from the Columbus heights.

Something that I found interesting at the Park was this comparison of the Generals:

"The Fighting Bishop" Confederate States of America General Leonidas Polk was a West Pointer, the Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana, a wealthy Tennessee planter, and a friend of Jefferson Davis. He was a pious and kindly man loved by his soldiers but he was basically an incompetent general. Polk had the added fault of hating to take orders. In September 1861 Polk broke Kentucky's neutrality by the occupation of the small Mississippi River port of Columbus. Polk made Columbus strong by leaving everywhere else weak. Defensively minded, he only waited to be attacked. After the much weaker Forts of Henry and Donelson east of him fell, Polk and the Confederacy had to abandon Columbus.

Union General Ulysses S. Grant was the son of an Ohio tanner, a West Pointer, and a Mexican War veteran. He was the general who eventually became commander of all the armies of the United States. He was know as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. Fearless, offensively minded, Grant made mistakes, learned from them, and pushed forward. The Battle of Belmont was Grant's first battle and the beginning of the Vicksburg Campaign. In 1869, Grant became the 18th President of the United States.

While we were eating our lunch we were attacked by Lady Bugs. There were hundreds swarming around us and all over the tree near where we were trying to eat.

Views of the park.

This is the anchor that was buried in the bank of the Mississippi to hold the chain that was stretched across the river. You can just see the links of the chain extended from the anchor. Each link weighs 20 pounds.

The main objective of the Confederate Army in fortifying Columbus was to block Union movements on the Mississippi River. In so doing they also had to protect their position from inland attack. They made an elaborate system of earthworks dug by Confederate soldiers and slaves. These trenches were heavily fortified with cannon and rifle batteries.