Fort Harker (Stevenson, Alabama, Alabama)
Stevenson, Alabama · Alabama · Civil War
History & Significance
Fort Harker was a military fortification built by the Union Army during the American Civil War, located near Stevenson, Alabama. Constructed in the summer of 1862 by soldiers and freed slaves of the Army of the Cumberland, the fort helped secure strategic railroad lines to ensure the free movement of Union troops and supplies in southeastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama.
Stevenson was located at the junction of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, and the fort's location placed it within firing range of the town, railroads, supply depots, and warehouses. Union General William Rosecrans established his headquarters at Fort Harker in July 1863, from where he directed a successful campaign against the position of Confederate General Braxton Bragg in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Battle of Chattanooga began on November 24, 1863, and the Union victory secured southeastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama, including Fort Harker, for the duration of the war. The fort was constructed as a square earthen redoubt, 45 meters (148 feet) on a side, with rammed earth walls 4.3 meters (14 feet) high surrounded by a 2.5 meter (8.2 feet) deep dry moat, armed with seven barbettes for heavy cannon and a bomb-proof powder magazine.
No major fighting occurred at the fort, but skirmishes and sniper attacks were common as territory traded hands between Union and Confederate forces. Excavation of the site for historical preservation began in 1976, and restoration for public access began in 1985.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Square earthen Civil War fortification built in 1862
- Union Army headquarters under General William Rosecrans
- Protected critical railroad supply lines during the war
- Restored and preserved as public park since 1985
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Harker_(Alabama)
- https://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/1322
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=83795
- https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/stevenson/
- https://historicforts.com/fort-harker-alabama/