Fort Carlos III (Arkansas Post, Arkansas)
Arkansas Post · Arkansas · American Revolutionary War
History & Significance
Named for King Carlos III, this wooden palisade fort on the Arkansas River's left bank comprised a stockade, bastions, embrasures, storehouses, barracks, officers' quarters, a powder magazine, and artillery. It served as the headquarters of Spain's district of Arkansas from 1781 until 1791.
During the early morning of April 17, 1783, British irregulars and Chickasaw led by Captain James Colbert attacked the settlement and fort. The garrison was composed of a detachment of the Louisiana Fixed Infantry Regiment.
A surprise sally by Spanish and Quapaw defenders caused Colbert's men to rout. This was the only Revolutionary War battle fought in present-day Arkansas. River erosion gradually destroyed the fort's riverside walls from the late 1780s forward; in 1790, Spanish Captain Ignacio Delinó relocated the garrison and built Fort San Estevan about a half mile inland to replace the ruined structure, and by February 1793, Fort Carlos III was entirely eroded into the river.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Spanish wooden palisade fort from 1781 Revolutionary War era
- Partially reconstructed bastions show original structure
- Located within Arkansas Post National Memorial
- Historic site defending Spanish colonial interests against British threats
- Ruins sit beneath Horseshoe Lake, visible during lower water levels
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Carlos_III
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/arkansas-post-1783
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arkansas_Post_(1783)
- https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/arkansas-post-3/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_Post