Camden in Ouachita County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Fort Southerland

Redoubt D

— 1863 1864 —

Fort Southerland Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, June 25, 2022

1. Fort Southerland Marker

Inscription. This is one of nine Civil War fortifications that were constructed in 1863-64 by Confederate soldiers and slaves under the command of Camden lawyer, Colonel Alexander Hawthorn.

Located at the highest elevation between Willow, Locust, California and Chestnut Streets, its six artillery pieces covered any approach into Camden from the lower Washington Road and the telegraph wire road across Two Bayou. Its irregular shape was formed to resemble a capital "b" facing south. It was fronted by entrenchments. It was the largest of the Camden redoubts. Dirt from this location was moved by wagons to build the other forts during the Civil War. Redoubt d has completely disappeared and no traces of it exist today.

The eastern border of this fort was on the E.D. Dodson property on California Street. This fort was carved out of the family property owned by the early settlers named Southerland. Union soldiers improved this fortification during their brief occupation of Camden in April 1864.

Erected 2005 by Camden Historical Advisory Commission sponsored by Camden A&P Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1864.

Location. 33° 34.812′ N, 92° 50.035′

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W. Marker is in Camden, Arkansas, in Ouachita County. It is at the intersection of California Avenue NW and Center Street NW, on the left when traveling north on California Avenue NW. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 424 California Ave SW, Camden AR 71701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Gulf Coastal Plain,

in Caddo Territory,

and in the Quapaw Homeland.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Piney Woods.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: To Our Confederate Women (approx. 0.4 miles away); Ouachita County Desert Storm Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Ecore A-Fabre or Fabre’s Bluff (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fort Simmons (approx. 0.6 miles away); Redoubt B (approx. one mile away); Fort Diamond (approx. 1.1 miles away); Camden Water Battle (approx. 1.1 miles away); Fort Lookout (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Camden.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, June 25, 2022

2. Fort Southerland Marker

Colonel Alexander Travis Hawthorn (January 10, 1825 – May 31, 1899) image. Click for full size.

Public domain (Wikipedia)

3. Colonel Alexander Travis Hawthorn (January 10, 1825 – May 31, 1899)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2022, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 442 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 27, 2022, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.