gazette. the arkansas postthe years following the 1803 purchase of louisiana by the united states....

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

8 THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE.

THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE.

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

October 25th, 2003 - Ninth Annual Ghostsof the Past tourYoung and old are invited to join the park forthis annual, free event. Guided tours will walkthrough time in the old town site of ArkansasPost where visitors will participate in livinghistory interpretation. All tours are wheelchair accessible. Program takes place rain orshine. Reservations recommended.

January 10th, 2004 - 141st Anniversary ofthe Battle of Arkansas Post.A day of programs exploring the Civil Warbattle at Arkansas Post.

February 21st, 2004 - Ranger Program:After the Louisiana PurchaseCome discover how the aftermath of theLouisiana Purchase effected Arkansas Post,and the town’s brief transformation as thefirst capital of Arkansas.

March 1st -31st, 2004 - ArkansasArcheology Month ExhibitAn exhibit of artifacts from the park’s muse-um collection relating to this years theme ofArcheology Month, “Containers beforePlastic.”

March 19th-21st, 2004 - Colonial ArkansasEncampmentThe 2004 colonial encampment will celebratethe end of Arkansas’ colonial era and the200th anniversary of the transfer of ArkansasPost to American authorities.

March 27th, 2004 -Civil War PreservationTrust Park DayJoin park staff in Park Day, an annual hands-on preservation event sponsored by the CivilWar Preservation Trust. Participants will helpclean up Civil War exhibit areas, and learnmore about the Battle of Arkansas Post.

Ghosts of thePast coming October 25

Fort Smith NHS Volunteer John Northrip instructs a young visitor in the proper use of a sponge-rammer toload and clean a six-pounder cannon.

NEWSLETTER OF ARKANSAS POST NATIONAL MEMORIAL, GILLETT, ARKANSAS


Arkansas Post National Memorial1741 Old Post RoadGillett, AR 72055

September/October 2003 S Volume 3, Issue 4

S

Excellent Weather during theCivil War Weekend

The ninth annual Ghosts of the Past tourwill be held Saturday, October 25, 2003.

This year's theme of 'First Impressions,'is intended to explore the descriptionsand impressions left behind by variousvisitors to the Post, with an emphasis onthe years following the 1803 purchase ofLouisiana by the United States. Take awalk through the history of Arkansas Postand events of nearly 300 years will cometo life as living historians and volunteersrecreate scenes out of Arkansas Post'shistory.

Planned scenes include Henri Joutel’sarrival at the Post in 1687, Governor JamesMiller describing Arkansas Post to hiswife, and a visit to the Post in 1900.

Make Reservations Now!Each one-hour tour will start from thevisitor center beginning at 5 p.m. anddeparting every 15 minutes with the lasttour leaving at 8:30 p.m. Each tour is lim-ited to 25 people; therefore, reservationsare strongly recommended and may bemade by calling 870-548-2207.

Since this is an outdoor program visitorsare encouraged to wear comfortablewalking shoes and warm clothing. Alltours are wheel chair accessible. In caseof rain, the program will move to theauditorium of the park visitor center.

The beautiful autumn weather on SaturdaySeptember 27th brought over one hundredvisitors to the park for the annual Civil Warweekend event. Programs on Saturday fea-tured a six-pounder artillery piece from FortSmith National Historic Site. Both artilleryand infantry demonstrations were heldthroughout the day, drawing as many as fortyvisitors at a time.

This year’s programs focused on the UnitedStates Army, and their role in the attack onFort Hindman at Arkansas Post. The Civil Warweekend in September of 2004 will concen-trate on the Confederate stories behind thebattle.

The large number of United States troopsinvolved in the Battle of Arkansas Post

(32,000) is so overwhelming that often over-looked is the fact that the majority of the USsoldiers who fought here experienced battle-field conditions for the first time. Highlightedin this year’s programs was the ChicagoMercantile Battery, an artillery unit fromIllinois; following the battle, Captain Cooleyof the battery reported, “This is the first

engagement of the battery. I take pleasure in

noticing implicit compliance with orders of

every man connected with my command, not

one shrinking from his place of duty notwith-

standing our dangerous position.”

A new site bulletin featuring a list of unitsinvolved in the battle, and a map of battlefieldpositions compiled by former park rangerBrian McCutchen was also made available tothe public for the first time during the event.

Upcoming programs and events at Arkansas Post NMem.


Superintendent’s Scribblin’s

THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. 7

The recent Civil War weekend provided anopportunity for visitors to the park to discov-er more about the United States army and it’srole in the Battle of Arkansas Post. The pro-grams and demonstrations, however, onlyscratched the surface of a much larger topic.The history of the Civil War, and Arkansas’role within it form the subject of a large num-ber of books. For example. earlier this yearhistorian Thomas DeBlack finished With Fireand Sword, a book which details the periodof 1861 to 1874, including both the Civil War,and it’s aftermath. This book is yet anotherindication of how complex a subject theAmerican Civil War truly is.

The following is a selection of Civil War titlescarried in the bookstore:

Civil War Spoken Here: A Dictionary ofMispronounced people, Places, and Things ofthe 1860’s by Robert D. Quigley. $19.99

Best Little Stories from the Civil War by C.Brian Kelley. $16.95

Civil War Parks: The Story Behind theScenery by William C. Davis. $8.95

Civil War Songbook with HistoricalCommentary, by Keith & Rusty McNeil.$15.95

Artillery Through the Ages, by AlbertManucy. $4.75

Civil War Arkansas: Beyond Battles andLeaders, edited by Anne J. Bailey and DanielE. Sutherland. $22.00

Rugged and Sublime: The Civil War inArkansas, edited by Mark K. Christ. $19.95

The Ideals Guide to American Civil WarPlaces, by Julie Shively. $23.00

For further information on Eastern Nationalor the Arkansas Post National MemorialBookstore you can visit www.eParks.com orcontact the park at (870) 548-2207

The Po<t Trader: News and Information about the Park Bookstore

Rugged and Sublime, edited by Mark Christ, is oneof a number of excellent books on the Civil War inArkansas.

Arkansas Post National Memorial commemoratesthe earliest European settlement in the LowerMississippi valley. First established in 1686, thePost was an important staging point forMississippi River trade between New France andthe Gulf of Mexico. Situated along the ArkansasRiver, the small settlement here blossomed intothe first capital of the Arkansas Territory.


Phone870 548-2207

[email protected]

Internethttp://www.nps.gov/arpo/

The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

The fall is a good time to talk about the volunteerprogram at Arkansas Post. The upcoming “Ghostsof the Past,” program requires in the vicinity of fiftyvolunteers, serving in all capacities to run theevening’s event smoothly. Ghosts of the Past is thelargest annual program held in the park, witharound 500 visitors attending each year.

At press time, volunteers are still needed to portrayhistoric individuals for scenes, serve as tour guides,and scene narrators. If you are interested in volun-teering to assist in this program, please contactPark Ranger Eric Leonard by phone (870.548.2207)or email ([email protected]).

It’s been nearly ten years since the park’s researchlibrary has been cataloged(by Park Ranger DorothyCook and volunteers Lynn and Elizabeth Gaines),and in that time a large number of books, journalsand other resources have been added, making thecurrent catalogue almost meaningless. This winterwe will again tackle the park library with the inten-tion of updating the catalogue, and are on thelookout for volunteers interested in helping out.

There are a number of on-going Natural Resourcesvolunteer projects in the park at present, includinga research project on ant populations inside thepark, and herptofauna study. Studies of birds andbats within the park are being finalized now andshould start soon.

Volunteer opportunities at the park are limitlessand anyone interested in assisting the park isencouraged to contact the volunteer coordinator,Park Ranger Eric Leonard for more information.


Edward E. Wood, Jr.

Volunteer Program Update

As I was struggling to meet yet anotherdeadline, it dawned on me that these arbi-trary requirements we place on others andourselves are simply our attempts at con-trolling the world around us. After all, it isall based on time, a totally human invention.Sure there are physical phenomena thatdefine time (day and night, seasons, etc.)but in all reality, time is something we do toourselves. Virtually everything we dorelates in one way or another to time (thepassage of time, the lack of time, "time'sup"….)

We eat, sleep and live according to theclock. We're at work on time; we serve ourtime; we even live a lifetime. But is this allreally necessary? Why can't we eat whenwe are hungry, or sleep when we're tired.What defines a lifetime? I'm sure there arethose who are reading this saying to them-selves, "I don't have time for this nonsense."But stick with me for a few more minutesand stop and think about this whole crazyway we organize our lives.

If we think of time as the passage from oneexperience to the next, what is so magicalabout a certain number of moments beingequal to a measurement of time? We definethe period of existence called a second as1/86,400th of a day, but which day? Clearly,someone decided to standardize on a par-ticular period. In the ancient world, a daywas defined as the cycle of the sun or themoon - at one point in history it wasdefined as the period required for the sun toorbit the earth. As we became more sophis-ticated scientifically, the definition becamestricter, until today, we define the measureof time as being represented by the rate ofdecay of radio nucleotides (atomic clocks.)

The most interesting part of this wholething is that man invented time in the firstplace. So, no matter how accurately youdefine it, time is artificial. Time is a purelyhuman concept that we use to impose orderon the physical world. Our use of time doesimpose some restrictions on the worldaround us, but only as a reaction to whathumans do. The natural process continueswithout regard for the passage of time. Forexample, deer respond to changes in sea-son, they eat when they are hungry and theyexhibit periodic habits, but I can't recall anydeer that I have seen wearing a watch to findout what time it is. They simply do not care- it makes no difference to them.

I have to wonder if living wouldn't be moreenjoyable if we weren't obsessed with time.The "rat race" would be no race at all, andliving a lifetime would be just a matter ofevents without regard to deadlines.Imagine, if you can, a place where timedoesn't matter - a place where events aredealt with as they happen. I like to believethat parks are just such places. I treasurethe occasions when I lose track of time as Iwatch a breeze rustling the leaves of thetrees, or I witness a quarrel between a cou-ple of squirrels. A drifting flock of birdsthat sail effortlessly over the treetops causesme to envy their seemingly carefree atti-tude. This is an escape for me. Fishermenexperience this same kind of peace as theywait quietly for a bite. These short periodsof timelessness are to be cherished.Unfortunately, as my mind absorbs all thispeacefulness, it snaps back to the realitythat I have to get to the store before it clos-es as 6:00 PM, or I won't have anything fordinner!

American Lotus atArkansas Post

During late summer and early autumn, visitorsto Arkansas Post are treated to the sight of lilypads and blossoms courtesy of the AmericanLotus.

Nelumbo lutea, the American yellow lotus, isthe only lotus native to the United States.American lotus is a perennial aquatic herb withspongy, long, cylindrical rhizomes that producetubers during the fall months. Leaf stalks arelong, supporting leaves that are both floatingand standing above the water surface. Leavesabove the water tend to be elevated outwardfrom the center and appearing funnel-like.Flowers are solitary, showy, on long stalks, fre-quently overtopping the leaves. The petals arenumerous and yellow.

The American lotus produces the largest flowerof any plant in North America and occurs inquiet waters in ponds, lakes and the edges ofslow moving streams and rivers from Iowa toNew York and south to Oklahoma, East Texasand Florida.

A number of common names, many of nativeAmerican origin, are used to identify thisspecies. Among them are: American lotus, yel-low lotus, water-chinquapin, duck acorn, lotuslily, yellow Nelumbo, yanquapin, wonkapin, andpond nuts. In the Arkansas Post area, the com-mon name of yancopin is most frequently used;in fact, a nearby community on the ArkansasRiver is named Yancopin, likely for the presenceof the American Lotus..

Lotus blossoms and lily pads in Post Bend.

THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. 36 THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE.

The history of Arkansas Post is full of notable

characters that are not only important to that of

the lower Arkansas and Mississippi River

Valleys, but to both Arkansas and American

history as a whole. In each issue, it is our desire

to present a brief sketch of an individual who, in

some way, had a profound association with or

impact on the historic Post of Arkansas.

Little remembered today, James Wilkinson isprobably 19th century America’s greatestscoundrel. An army officer during theRevolutionary War, Wilkinson went on to playa significant role in the army of the newAmerican republic as well as military governorof much of the western frontier, includingLouisiana. Complicating his legacy is his par-ticipation in numerous schemes to create aseparate nation in the American west, and hiswork as a double agent for Spain.

Wilkinson was born in Benedict, Maryland, in1757. He studied medicine at the University ofPennsylvania and opened a medical practice inMaryland. During the Revolution, he servedas aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gatesand carried the news of America's victory atSaratoga to Congress. Wilkinson's indiscreetcriticism of General Washington's authorityforced his reassignment to administrative dutyas clothier general, in which post he serveduntil 1781. Three years later, he moved to theVirginia frontier, where he promoted the ter-ritory's reorganization as the new state ofKentucky. At that time, he secretly advised theSpanish government on American plans forwestern development, receiving a sizableannual pension and favored trading status forhis cooperation.

In 1791, Wilkinson returned to military dutyduring the Ohio River Territory Indian cam-paigns, succeeding General Anthony Wayne.As military governor of the southwest territo-ry, Wilkinson participated in the 1803 transferof the Louisiana Purchase from France to theUnited States. He served briefly as governor ofthe vast new territory. He was publicly criti-cized for his heavy-handed administrationand reassigned to frontier military duty. Publicconcerns about his abuse of authority

increased when Wilkinson's participation informer vice president Aaron Burr's scheme toestablish an independent western nation wasrevealed. He narrowly escaped indictmentduring Burr's treason trial, and was twiceinvestigated by Congress. Following anunsuccessful court-martial, he returned to hismilitary command in New Orleans.

With the outbreak of renewed war betweenAmerica and England in 1812, Wilkinson wasposted to Canada. His major offensive againstthe British in Montreal failed, and he was dis-charged from active service. Wilkinson died inMexico on 28 December 1825.

As governor of the Louisiana Territory imme-diately following the transfer in 1803,Wilkinson’s domain included Arkansas Post,and he visited the settlement on at least oneoccasion on his way to and from New Orleans.Wilkinson appointed the first Justices of the

Peace in the District of Arkansas. His son, Lt.James B. Wilkinson, was a member of Pike’sexpedition to the west, and returned to theUnited States via the Arkansas River andArkansas Post. A nephew, BenjaminWilkinson, also worked for a short time in theIndian trade at the Post.

For Further Reading:Chandler, David Leon. The JeffersonConspiracies: A President’s Role in theAssassination of Meriwether Lewis. Quill,1995.

Savage, James E. “Spaniards, Scoundrels, andStatesmen: General James Wilkinson and theSpanish Conspiracy, 1787 -1790. “ http://histo-ry.hanover.edu/hhr/98/hhr98_1.html

National Park Service. “Portraits from theNorthern Theater: James Wilkinson.”http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/revwar/image_gal/indeimg/wilkinson.html

People of the Post: James WilkinsonArkansas Post is only one of a large number of

National Park sites with connections to the

Louisiana Purchase. During this bicentennial

year we have highlighted some of the other

parks and how they relate to the Louisiana

Purchase. To complete this series, we explore

parks beyond the Purchase territory, to the

Pacific Ocean.

Lewis and Clark National Historic TrailThis site celebrates the heroic expedition ofthe Corps of Discovery, led by CaptainMeriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark.Thirty-three people traveled with them intounknown territory, starting near what is nowknown as Wood River, Illinois in 1804, reach-ing the Pacific Ocean in 1805 and returning in1806. Today's trail follows their route as close-ly as possible given the changes over the years.It is approximately 3,700 miles long, beginningnear Wood River, Illinois, and passes throughportions of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska,South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana,Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Lewis &Clark NHT does not have a formal visitorcenter along any portion of the trail. Variousorganizations and individuals are responsiblefor trail stewardship with oversight providedby the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trailoffice.

Nez Perce National Historical ParkFor thousands of years the valleys, prairies,mountains, and plateaus of the inland north-west have been home to the Nimiipuu or NezPerce people. Today, the 38 sites of Nez PerceNational Historical Park are scattered acrossthe states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington andMontana and have been designated to com-memorate the stories and history of theNimiipuu and their interaction with explorers,fur traders, missionaries, soldiers, settlers,gold miners, and farmers who moved throughor into the area. There are two VisitorCenters, one at Park Headquarters inSpalding, Idaho and the other at Big HoleNational Battlefield, Montana.

Fort Vancouver National Historic SiteFort Vancouver was the administrative head-quarters and main supply depot for theHudson's Bay Company's fur trading opera-tions in the immense Columbia Department.Under the leadership of John McLoughlin, thefort became the center of political, cultural,and commercial activities in the PacificNorthwest. When American immigrantsarrived in the Oregon Country during the1830s and 1840s, Fort Vancouver providedthem with essential supplies to begin their newsettlements.

Whitman Mission National Historic SiteThis site commemorates the courage ofMarcus and Narcissa Whitman, the role theWhitmans played in establishing the OregonTrail, and the challenges encountered whentwo different cultures meet. In 1836 a smallgroup of Presbyterian missionaries traveledwith the annual fur trapper’s caravan into“Oregon Country.” Differences in culture ledto growing tensions between the Cayuse peo-ple and the Whitmans. A measles outbreak in1847 killed half the local Cayuse. Some of theCayuse blamed these deaths on Dr. Whitman.Dr. and Mrs. Whitman were killed; sixty peo-ple were taken hostage. The deaths of theWhitmans sent a shock wave across the coun-try and prompted Congress to make Oregon aU.S. territory.

Fort Clatsop National MemorialThis site commemorates the 1805-06 winterencampment of the 33-member Lewis andClark Expedition. A 1955 community-builtreplica of the explorers' 50'x50' Fort Clatsop isthe focus of the park. The fort, historic canoelanding, and spring are nestled in the coastalforests and wetlands of the Coast Range as itmerges with the Columbia River Estuary. TheSalt Works unit commemorates the expedi-tion's salt - making activities. Salt obtainedfrom seawater was essential to the explorers'winter at Fort Clatsop and their journey backto the United States in 1806.

National Parks and the Louisiana Purchase

JAMES WILKINSON (1757-1825) by Charles Willson Peale, from life, 1796-1797.Oil on canvas. H 24, W 20 in (H 61.0, W 50.8 cm)Independence NHP - INDE 14166

The Great Falls of the Missouri River, along theLewis & Clark NHT.

Coyote's Fishnet, a legend site along theClearwater River, is one of 38 separate sites thatmake up the Nez Perce NHP.

A reconstruction of the fort is the main feature atFort Clatsop National Memorial.

Fort Vancouver circa 1845, from a painting byRichard Schlecht

Covered wagon and tipi at WhitmanMission NHS.

4 THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. 5

HOT OFF THE PRESSFrom the page< of the Arkan<a< Gazette. Augu<t 26, 1820

Another failure of the Mail. - Sixweek< ago the Po<t-rider arrivedhere with the mail bag< nearlyempty; having no paper<, and only 4or 5 letter< from a neighboring coun-ty. Each trip <ince, one mail ha<been due - tho<e received bringingonly the letter< and paper< whichwere due two week< before. We area<<ured that the<e failure< haveoccurred thro' the negligence of thePo<t-rider above White river, inLawrence county. We hope the Po<tMa<ter at White Run will report<uch neglect of duty to the Po<tMa<ter General. We have a mailonly once in two week<; and whenthi< fail< it i< truly aggravating, andmore particularly <o when it i<known to be occa<ioned thro' thenegligence of tho<e employed intran<porting it.

Of all the artifacts uncovered at Arkansas Post in archeological work over the last fifty years, themajority have not been on public display. A number of colonial era artifacts found at the park in thelate 1950s and early 60s are part of Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum (HAM) exhibit on ColonialArkansas. This exhibit, including Quapaw ceramics and a large dugout canoe, as well as a numberof other Arkansas Post related items will be open for public viewing until the end of December. Theexhibit provides a rare opportunity to explore the colonial era in depth, and we encourage anyonewho can make it to visit HAM before the end of the year. Below is a more detailed description of theexhibit:

Colonial Arkansas Before the Louisiana Purchase, on exhibit through December 31 in the muse-um's Horace Cabe Gallery, illustrates the interaction between different nations that ultimately led to the United States purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Inaddition to items from the museum's permanent collection, the exhibit features rare and unique arti-facts on loan from the National Gallery of Art, Harvard University and Henderson State University inaddition to the artifacts from Arkansas Post National Memorial.

In addition to the exhibit, HAM will be hosting a conference and powwow October 9-11 that willbring together internationally known scholars and members of the Quapaw and Caddo nations todiscuss Arkansas’ colonial past. Topics will include various aspects of the relationship betweenArkansas Native Americans and the Europeans who arrived in the 250 years preceding the LouisianaPurchase. The conference will include the Little Rock premier of the park’s orientation film, “Echoesof the Past.”

As a park located far “off the beaten path,” Arkansas Post and its history is unknown to mostAmericans, and even a large number of Arkansans know little about the park. The internet pro-vides the park an opportunity to educate virtual visitors about both the history of Arkansas Postand the opportunities that the park provides today. This year has brought a number of additionsto the park’s presence on-line, and great things are on the horizon.

At the beginning of the summer two on-line books were added to the park’s expanded content.Several months later, and the two books (A study on the Colbert Raid and a work covering thefounding of the Post), are the most frequented part of the park website, seeing as many as twohundred hits a day. These two on-line books represent the tip of the iceberg; over nearly fiftyyears the National Park Service has published a number of research reports on the history andarcheology of Arkansas Post. Most of these reports are not easily available to the public, andadding them to the park’s web site will greatly increase their availability and usefulness.

Work is continuing on a complete expanded web site for the park that will include additionalresearch reports, a time line of Arkansas Post history, and additional park information useful toall types of interested individuals.

In addition, the look of the main ‘park profile pages is due for a face lift sometime this fall. Thisnew look will feature additional pictures of the park and a more user friendly layout.

Constitution Week atArkansas Post

For the tenth year, Arkansas Post NationalMemorial hosted a National ConstitutionWeek display, including a scroll for visitorsto add their names to the Constitution.Constitution Week occurs annually everySeptember 17-23, on the anniversary ofthe original signing of the Constitution in1789.

Each year since 1991 the nationalConstitution Center (NCC) has sponsoredthe "I Signed the Constitution" programacross the country to encourageAmericans to affirm their rights andresponsibilities as citizens and to learnmore about their Constitution. Just as theoriginal signers did, participants can placetheir signatures on parchment that will beput on archival record in the NCC'sConstitution Center.

This year over one hundred visitors partic-ipated in Constitution Week and addedtheir name to the parchment scroll.

As the first capital of Arkansas, ArkansasPost was the site of this region's transfor-mation from a colonial system of govern-ment, to a free democratic society.National Constitution Week provides anexcellent opportunity to learn more aboutthe transformation of the LouisianaPurchase into American territories.

Visitors examine the Constitution Week display inthe visitor Center.

The portrait of Don Joseph Bernard Vallièred'Hauterive, Commandant of Arkansas Post from1787 to 1790, is a part of the Colonial Arkansasexhibit at the Historic Arkansas Museum in LittleRock.

Colonial Arkansas and Arkansas Post are featured inHistoric Arkansas Museum exhibit and conference The “Virtual Post” -An Update on

Arkansas Post’s presence on the Internet

A screenshot of the new expanded web site for Arkansas Post.

Soldier’s diary sheds new light on the Battle of Arkansas Post

On occasion, the park receives inquiries fromvisitors or researchers regarding ancestorswho participated in the Civil War battle here inJanuary of 1863. Photographs, service recordsand other items kindly provided by these indi-viduals help to fill in the details of the battle,and often put a real human perspective on theassault against Fort Hindman.

Over the summer a descendant of two mem-bers of the 24th Texas Dismounted Cavalryvisited the park and provided an number ofmaterials. She was inspired by her researchand her visit to publish a web page on the 24thTexas; her page can be found at:

Most recently, the park has been given a tran-scription from a diary by Private DyerHitchcock, Company F, 23rd WisconsinVolunteer Infantry. Private Hitchcock foughtat the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou outside ofVicksburg several weeks before the battle atArkansas Post, and his journal includes detailsof both battles. Private Hitchcock provides ablow- by-blow account of his regiment’s rolein the battle, and mentions General StephenBurbridge prominately. Following the surren-der of Confederate Forces, General Burbridgepersonally thanked the men of the 23rd, say-ing, “Gentlemen. ....I hope that my conductthis day has proved to you that I am a unionman, and I shall always fight for this GloriousOld Flag. I am proud [of] my brigade, proud ofthe noble conduct of the 23!! Boys, you didyour duty, and I shall ever remember OldWisconsin!!”

Most fascinating is Hitchcock’s journalentries in the days immediately following thebattle, and a sketch of Fort Hindman thatclosely matches maps from the officialrecords of the war.

Below is Private Hitchcock’s journal entry forthe day immediately after the battle:

Monday January 12, 1863:At 4 o'clock P.M. we marched into the Fort toguard it. This day occupied in collecting theprisoners, horses and waggons of the enemyfor shipping. The prisoners are a fine set offellows, well dressed in light brown and gen-erally cheerful. They have or profess to havefaith in the Confederacy; think that Englandwill soon help them. They probably will besent North.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~barrettbranches/Researchers/Karen%20Hett/B24cavindex.html

THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. 36 THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE.

The history of Arkansas Post is full of notable

characters that are not only important to that of

the lower Arkansas and Mississippi River

Valleys, but to both Arkansas and American

history as a whole. In each issue, it is our desire

to present a brief sketch of an individual who, in

some way, had a profound association with or

impact on the historic Post of Arkansas.

Little remembered today, James Wilkinson isprobably 19th century America’s greatestscoundrel. An army officer during theRevolutionary War, Wilkinson went on to playa significant role in the army of the newAmerican republic as well as military governorof much of the western frontier, includingLouisiana. Complicating his legacy is his par-ticipation in numerous schemes to create aseparate nation in the American west, and hiswork as a double agent for Spain.

Wilkinson was born in Benedict, Maryland, in1757. He studied medicine at the University ofPennsylvania and opened a medical practice inMaryland. During the Revolution, he servedas aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gatesand carried the news of America's victory atSaratoga to Congress. Wilkinson's indiscreetcriticism of General Washington's authorityforced his reassignment to administrative dutyas clothier general, in which post he serveduntil 1781. Three years later, he moved to theVirginia frontier, where he promoted the ter-ritory's reorganization as the new state ofKentucky. At that time, he secretly advised theSpanish government on American plans forwestern development, receiving a sizableannual pension and favored trading status forhis cooperation.

In 1791, Wilkinson returned to military dutyduring the Ohio River Territory Indian cam-paigns, succeeding General Anthony Wayne.As military governor of the southwest territo-ry, Wilkinson participated in the 1803 transferof the Louisiana Purchase from France to theUnited States. He served briefly as governor ofthe vast new territory. He was publicly criti-cized for his heavy-handed administrationand reassigned to frontier military duty. Publicconcerns about his abuse of authority

increased when Wilkinson's participation informer vice president Aaron Burr's scheme toestablish an independent western nation wasrevealed. He narrowly escaped indictmentduring Burr's treason trial, and was twiceinvestigated by Congress. Following anunsuccessful court-martial, he returned to hismilitary command in New Orleans.

With the outbreak of renewed war betweenAmerica and England in 1812, Wilkinson wasposted to Canada. His major offensive againstthe British in Montreal failed, and he was dis-charged from active service. Wilkinson died inMexico on 28 December 1825.

As governor of the Louisiana Territory imme-diately following the transfer in 1803,Wilkinson’s domain included Arkansas Post,and he visited the settlement on at least oneoccasion on his way to and from New Orleans.Wilkinson appointed the first Justices of the

Peace in the District of Arkansas. His son, Lt.James B. Wilkinson, was a member of Pike’sexpedition to the west, and returned to theUnited States via the Arkansas River andArkansas Post. A nephew, BenjaminWilkinson, also worked for a short time in theIndian trade at the Post.

For Further Reading:Chandler, David Leon. The JeffersonConspiracies: A President’s Role in theAssassination of Meriwether Lewis. Quill,1995.

Savage, James E. “Spaniards, Scoundrels, andStatesmen: General James Wilkinson and theSpanish Conspiracy, 1787 -1790. “ http://histo-ry.hanover.edu/hhr/98/hhr98_1.html

National Park Service. “Portraits from theNorthern Theater: James Wilkinson.”http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/revwar/image_gal/indeimg/wilkinson.html

People of the Post: James WilkinsonArkansas Post is only one of a large number of

National Park sites with connections to the

Louisiana Purchase. During this bicentennial

year we have highlighted some of the other

parks and how they relate to the Louisiana

Purchase. To complete this series, we explore

parks beyond the Purchase territory, to the

Pacific Ocean.

Lewis and Clark National Historic TrailThis site celebrates the heroic expedition ofthe Corps of Discovery, led by CaptainMeriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark.Thirty-three people traveled with them intounknown territory, starting near what is nowknown as Wood River, Illinois in 1804, reach-ing the Pacific Ocean in 1805 and returning in1806. Today's trail follows their route as close-ly as possible given the changes over the years.It is approximately 3,700 miles long, beginningnear Wood River, Illinois, and passes throughportions of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska,South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana,Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Lewis &Clark NHT does not have a formal visitorcenter along any portion of the trail. Variousorganizations and individuals are responsiblefor trail stewardship with oversight providedby the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trailoffice.

Nez Perce National Historical ParkFor thousands of years the valleys, prairies,mountains, and plateaus of the inland north-west have been home to the Nimiipuu or NezPerce people. Today, the 38 sites of Nez PerceNational Historical Park are scattered acrossthe states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington andMontana and have been designated to com-memorate the stories and history of theNimiipuu and their interaction with explorers,fur traders, missionaries, soldiers, settlers,gold miners, and farmers who moved throughor into the area. There are two VisitorCenters, one at Park Headquarters inSpalding, Idaho and the other at Big HoleNational Battlefield, Montana.

Fort Vancouver National Historic SiteFort Vancouver was the administrative head-quarters and main supply depot for theHudson's Bay Company's fur trading opera-tions in the immense Columbia Department.Under the leadership of John McLoughlin, thefort became the center of political, cultural,and commercial activities in the PacificNorthwest. When American immigrantsarrived in the Oregon Country during the1830s and 1840s, Fort Vancouver providedthem with essential supplies to begin their newsettlements.

Whitman Mission National Historic SiteThis site commemorates the courage ofMarcus and Narcissa Whitman, the role theWhitmans played in establishing the OregonTrail, and the challenges encountered whentwo different cultures meet. In 1836 a smallgroup of Presbyterian missionaries traveledwith the annual fur trapper’s caravan into“Oregon Country.” Differences in culture ledto growing tensions between the Cayuse peo-ple and the Whitmans. A measles outbreak in1847 killed half the local Cayuse. Some of theCayuse blamed these deaths on Dr. Whitman.Dr. and Mrs. Whitman were killed; sixty peo-ple were taken hostage. The deaths of theWhitmans sent a shock wave across the coun-try and prompted Congress to make Oregon aU.S. territory.

Fort Clatsop National MemorialThis site commemorates the 1805-06 winterencampment of the 33-member Lewis andClark Expedition. A 1955 community-builtreplica of the explorers' 50'x50' Fort Clatsop isthe focus of the park. The fort, historic canoelanding, and spring are nestled in the coastalforests and wetlands of the Coast Range as itmerges with the Columbia River Estuary. TheSalt Works unit commemorates the expedi-tion's salt - making activities. Salt obtainedfrom seawater was essential to the explorers'winter at Fort Clatsop and their journey backto the United States in 1806.

National Parks and the Louisiana Purchase

JAMES WILKINSON (1757-1825) by Charles Willson Peale, from life, 1796-1797.Oil on canvas. H 24, W 20 in (H 61.0, W 50.8 cm)Independence NHP - INDE 14166

The Great Falls of the Missouri River, along theLewis & Clark NHT.

Coyote's Fishnet, a legend site along theClearwater River, is one of 38 separate sites thatmake up the Nez Perce NHP.

A reconstruction of the fort is the main feature atFort Clatsop National Memorial.

Fort Vancouver circa 1845, from a painting byRichard Schlecht

Covered wagon and tipi at WhitmanMission NHS.


Superintendent’s Scribblin’s

THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE. 7

The recent Civil War weekend provided anopportunity for visitors to the park to discov-er more about the United States army and it’srole in the Battle of Arkansas Post. The pro-grams and demonstrations, however, onlyscratched the surface of a much larger topic.The history of the Civil War, and Arkansas’role within it form the subject of a large num-ber of books. For example. earlier this yearhistorian Thomas DeBlack finished With Fireand Sword, a book which details the periodof 1861 to 1874, including both the Civil War,and it’s aftermath. This book is yet anotherindication of how complex a subject theAmerican Civil War truly is.

The following is a selection of Civil War titlescarried in the bookstore:

Civil War Spoken Here: A Dictionary ofMispronounced people, Places, and Things ofthe 1860’s by Robert D. Quigley. $19.99

Best Little Stories from the Civil War by C.Brian Kelley. $16.95

Civil War Parks: The Story Behind theScenery by William C. Davis. $8.95

Civil War Songbook with HistoricalCommentary, by Keith & Rusty McNeil.$15.95

Artillery Through the Ages, by AlbertManucy. $4.75

Civil War Arkansas: Beyond Battles andLeaders, edited by Anne J. Bailey and DanielE. Sutherland. $22.00

Rugged and Sublime: The Civil War inArkansas, edited by Mark K. Christ. $19.95

The Ideals Guide to American Civil WarPlaces, by Julie Shively. $23.00

For further information on Eastern Nationalor the Arkansas Post National MemorialBookstore you can visit www.eParks.com orcontact the park at (870) 548-2207

The Po<t Trader: News and Information about the Park Bookstore

Rugged and Sublime, edited by Mark Christ, is oneof a number of excellent books on the Civil War inArkansas.

Arkansas Post National Memorial commemoratesthe earliest European settlement in the LowerMississippi valley. First established in 1686, thePost was an important staging point forMississippi River trade between New France andthe Gulf of Mexico. Situated along the ArkansasRiver, the small settlement here blossomed intothe first capital of the Arkansas Territory.


Phone870 548-2207

[email protected]

Internethttp://www.nps.gov/arpo/

The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

The fall is a good time to talk about the volunteerprogram at Arkansas Post. The upcoming “Ghostsof the Past,” program requires in the vicinity of fiftyvolunteers, serving in all capacities to run theevening’s event smoothly. Ghosts of the Past is thelargest annual program held in the park, witharound 500 visitors attending each year.

At press time, volunteers are still needed to portrayhistoric individuals for scenes, serve as tour guides,and scene narrators. If you are interested in volun-teering to assist in this program, please contactPark Ranger Eric Leonard by phone (870.548.2207)or email ([email protected]).

It’s been nearly ten years since the park’s researchlibrary has been cataloged(by Park Ranger DorothyCook and volunteers Lynn and Elizabeth Gaines),and in that time a large number of books, journalsand other resources have been added, making thecurrent catalogue almost meaningless. This winterwe will again tackle the park library with the inten-tion of updating the catalogue, and are on thelookout for volunteers interested in helping out.

There are a number of on-going Natural Resourcesvolunteer projects in the park at present, includinga research project on ant populations inside thepark, and herptofauna study. Studies of birds andbats within the park are being finalized now andshould start soon.

Volunteer opportunities at the park are limitlessand anyone interested in assisting the park isencouraged to contact the volunteer coordinator,Park Ranger Eric Leonard for more information.


Edward E. Wood, Jr.

Volunteer Program Update

As I was struggling to meet yet anotherdeadline, it dawned on me that these arbi-trary requirements we place on others andourselves are simply our attempts at con-trolling the world around us. After all, it isall based on time, a totally human invention.Sure there are physical phenomena thatdefine time (day and night, seasons, etc.)but in all reality, time is something we do toourselves. Virtually everything we dorelates in one way or another to time (thepassage of time, the lack of time, "time'sup"….)

We eat, sleep and live according to theclock. We're at work on time; we serve ourtime; we even live a lifetime. But is this allreally necessary? Why can't we eat whenwe are hungry, or sleep when we're tired.What defines a lifetime? I'm sure there arethose who are reading this saying to them-selves, "I don't have time for this nonsense."But stick with me for a few more minutesand stop and think about this whole crazyway we organize our lives.

If we think of time as the passage from oneexperience to the next, what is so magicalabout a certain number of moments beingequal to a measurement of time? We definethe period of existence called a second as1/86,400th of a day, but which day? Clearly,someone decided to standardize on a par-ticular period. In the ancient world, a daywas defined as the cycle of the sun or themoon - at one point in history it wasdefined as the period required for the sun toorbit the earth. As we became more sophis-ticated scientifically, the definition becamestricter, until today, we define the measureof time as being represented by the rate ofdecay of radio nucleotides (atomic clocks.)

The most interesting part of this wholething is that man invented time in the firstplace. So, no matter how accurately youdefine it, time is artificial. Time is a purelyhuman concept that we use to impose orderon the physical world. Our use of time doesimpose some restrictions on the worldaround us, but only as a reaction to whathumans do. The natural process continueswithout regard for the passage of time. Forexample, deer respond to changes in sea-son, they eat when they are hungry and theyexhibit periodic habits, but I can't recall anydeer that I have seen wearing a watch to findout what time it is. They simply do not care- it makes no difference to them.

I have to wonder if living wouldn't be moreenjoyable if we weren't obsessed with time.The "rat race" would be no race at all, andliving a lifetime would be just a matter ofevents without regard to deadlines.Imagine, if you can, a place where timedoesn't matter - a place where events aredealt with as they happen. I like to believethat parks are just such places. I treasurethe occasions when I lose track of time as Iwatch a breeze rustling the leaves of thetrees, or I witness a quarrel between a cou-ple of squirrels. A drifting flock of birdsthat sail effortlessly over the treetops causesme to envy their seemingly carefree atti-tude. This is an escape for me. Fishermenexperience this same kind of peace as theywait quietly for a bite. These short periodsof timelessness are to be cherished.Unfortunately, as my mind absorbs all thispeacefulness, it snaps back to the realitythat I have to get to the store before it clos-es as 6:00 PM, or I won't have anything fordinner!

American Lotus atArkansas Post

During late summer and early autumn, visitorsto Arkansas Post are treated to the sight of lilypads and blossoms courtesy of the AmericanLotus.

Nelumbo lutea, the American yellow lotus, isthe only lotus native to the United States.American lotus is a perennial aquatic herb withspongy, long, cylindrical rhizomes that producetubers during the fall months. Leaf stalks arelong, supporting leaves that are both floatingand standing above the water surface. Leavesabove the water tend to be elevated outwardfrom the center and appearing funnel-like.Flowers are solitary, showy, on long stalks, fre-quently overtopping the leaves. The petals arenumerous and yellow.

The American lotus produces the largest flowerof any plant in North America and occurs inquiet waters in ponds, lakes and the edges ofslow moving streams and rivers from Iowa toNew York and south to Oklahoma, East Texasand Florida.

A number of common names, many of nativeAmerican origin, are used to identify thisspecies. Among them are: American lotus, yel-low lotus, water-chinquapin, duck acorn, lotuslily, yellow Nelumbo, yanquapin, wonkapin, andpond nuts. In the Arkansas Post area, the com-mon name of yancopin is most frequently used;in fact, a nearby community on the ArkansasRiver is named Yancopin, likely for the presenceof the American Lotus..

Lotus blossoms and lily pads in Post Bend.

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A


THE ARKANSAS POST GAZETTE.


October 25th, 2003 - Ninth Annual Ghostsof the Past tourYoung and old are invited to join the park forthis annual, free event. Guided tours will walkthrough time in the old town site of ArkansasPost where visitors will participate in livinghistory interpretation. All tours are wheelchair accessible. Program takes place rain orshine. Reservations recommended.

January 10th, 2004 - 141st Anniversary ofthe Battle of Arkansas Post.A day of programs exploring the Civil Warbattle at Arkansas Post.

February 21st, 2004 - Ranger Program:After the Louisiana PurchaseCome discover how the aftermath of theLouisiana Purchase effected Arkansas Post,and the town’s brief transformation as thefirst capital of Arkansas.

March 1st -31st, 2004 - ArkansasArcheology Month ExhibitAn exhibit of artifacts from the park’s muse-um collection relating to this years theme ofArcheology Month, “Containers beforePlastic.”

March 19th-21st, 2004 - Colonial ArkansasEncampmentThe 2004 colonial encampment will celebratethe end of Arkansas’ colonial era and the200th anniversary of the transfer of ArkansasPost to American authorities.

March 27th, 2004 -Civil War PreservationTrust Park DayJoin park staff in Park Day, an annual hands-on preservation event sponsored by the CivilWar Preservation Trust. Participants will helpclean up Civil War exhibit areas, and learnmore about the Battle of Arkansas Post.

Ghosts of thePast coming October 25

Fort Smith NHS Volunteer John Northrip instructs a young visitor in the proper use of a sponge-rammer toload and clean a six-pounder cannon.

NEWSLETTER OF ARKANSAS POST NATIONAL MEMORIAL, GILLETT, ARKANSAS



September/October 2003 S Volume 3, Issue 4

S

Excellent Weather during theCivil War Weekend

The ninth annual Ghosts of the Past tourwill be held Saturday, October 25, 2003.

This year's theme of 'First Impressions,'is intended to explore the descriptionsand impressions left behind by variousvisitors to the Post, with an emphasis onthe years following the 1803 purchase ofLouisiana by the United States. Take awalk through the history of Arkansas Postand events of nearly 300 years will cometo life as living historians and volunteersrecreate scenes out of Arkansas Post'shistory.

Planned scenes include Henri Joutel’sarrival at the Post in 1687, Governor JamesMiller describing Arkansas Post to hiswife, and a visit to the Post in 1900.

Make Reservations Now!Each one-hour tour will start from thevisitor center beginning at 5 p.m. anddeparting every 15 minutes with the lasttour leaving at 8:30 p.m. Each tour is lim-ited to 25 people; therefore, reservationsare strongly recommended and may bemade by calling 870-548-2207.

Since this is an outdoor program visitorsare encouraged to wear comfortablewalking shoes and warm clothing. Alltours are wheel chair accessible. In caseof rain, the program will move to theauditorium of the park visitor center.

The beautiful autumn weather on SaturdaySeptember 27th brought over one hundredvisitors to the park for the annual Civil Warweekend event. Programs on Saturday fea-tured a six-pounder artillery piece from FortSmith National Historic Site. Both artilleryand infantry demonstrations were heldthroughout the day, drawing as many as fortyvisitors at a time.

This year’s programs focused on the UnitedStates Army, and their role in the attack onFort Hindman at Arkansas Post. The Civil Warweekend in September of 2004 will concen-trate on the Confederate stories behind thebattle.

The large number of United States troopsinvolved in the Battle of Arkansas Post

(32,000) is so overwhelming that often over-looked is the fact that the majority of the USsoldiers who fought here experienced battle-field conditions for the first time. Highlightedin this year’s programs was the ChicagoMercantile Battery, an artillery unit fromIllinois; following the battle, Captain Cooleyof the battery reported, “This is the first

engagement of the battery. I take pleasure in

noticing implicit compliance with orders of

every man connected with my command, not

one shrinking from his place of duty notwith-

standing our dangerous position.”

A new site bulletin featuring a list of unitsinvolved in the battle, and a map of battlefieldpositions compiled by former park rangerBrian McCutchen was also made available tothe public for the first time during the event.

Upcoming programs and events at Arkansas Post NMem.

gazette. the arkansas postthe years following the 1803 purchase of louisiana by the united states....

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