Fort Defiance (formerly also known as Fort Sevier and Fort Bruce) was a

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

built during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is a city in Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tennessee, fifth-most populo ...

, on the

Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...

. It changed hands several times during the war, and is now preserved by the city administration.

Construction and Union takeover

In November 1861, Confederate troops began to build a defensive fort that would control the river approach to Clarksville. They mounted three guns in the fort. On February 19, 1862, Union

gunboats A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

came up the river from

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

and reported the fort displayed a white flag and was deserted. The Union took over the fort and enlarged it so that it would control traffic on the Hopkinsville (Kentucky) Pike. Clarksville was left with a small garrison of Union troops. In April 1862, this small garrison was made up of the 71st Ohio Volunteers commanded by Col. Rodney Mason.

1862 combat

During July and August 1862, there was an increase in guerrilla activity around Clarksville. On August 18, 1862, Clarksville was recaptured by Confederate Cavalry. Col. Mason was

cashiered Cashiering (or degradation ceremony), generally within military forces, is a ritual dismissal of an individual from some position of responsibility for a breach of discipline. Etymology From the Flemish (to dismiss from service; to discard ...

for surrendering Clarksville so easily, although this penalty was later revoked. Union soldiers were sent from Fort Donelson to retake Clarksville in September 1862. Skirmishes were fought at New Providence on September 6, 1862 and at Riggins Hill on September 7, 1862. The town and fort were reoccupied by Federal troops who remained for the rest of the war. Col. Bruce was placed in command at Clarksville and Fort Defiance was renamed Fort Bruce.

Present-day monument

The four-acre Fort Defiance park features earthen fort and walking trails. It is located at 120 A Street, Clarksville, Tennessee. The city of Clarksville dedicated a new $2 million Fort Defiance Interpretive Center in 2011 in time for the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War in 2011. The Fort has been owned by the City of Clarksville since the mid-1980s, when it was donated to the city by retired Judge Sam Boaz who had owned and preserved the site for some time.''The Leaf Chronicle'', "Fort Site Links Us To Past", pp A5, July 6, 2010

References

Defiance Defiance Clarksville, Tennessee Tennessee in the American Civil War 1861 establishments in Tennessee {{AmericanCivilWar-stub

Construction and Union takeover

1862 combat

Present-day monument

See also

References