Twenty-six Arkansas history buffs boarded a bus at 7 a.m. March 22 at Little Rock’s MacArthur Military Museum for a round-trip tour following the path of Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele and his Union Army in their March 23 through May 3, 1864, Camden Expedition.
With stops in Okolona, Prescott, Camden, Tate’s Bluff, Fordyce, Marks Mills and Jenkin’s Ferry, the group had a full day following the Camden Expedition Scenic Byway loop, returning to Little Rock after dark.
During an hourlong layover at the Dallas County Museum in Fordyce, tour guides Stephen McAteer and Mark Christ shared a few comments about the adventure.
“Our ‘On the Road with Mark Christ’ program has visited various Civil War sites around the state over the past year,” said McAteer, executive director of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. “Today we’re retracing the Camden Expedition doing in 12 hours what it took the Union Army 40 days to do. Our first stop was Elkin’s Ferry in Okolona. Then we visited the Prairie D’Ane battle site near Prescott and the fortification at Tate’s Bluff before having lunch at the McCollom-Chidester House Museum in Camden. Following lunch, we made a stop at Fort Lookout and a quick swing by Sandy Beach on the Ouachita River.”
They made a short 3:30 p.m. visit to the museum in Fordyce before going on to Marks Mills and Jenkin’s Ferry.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“In our brief time, we can only present a limited perspective of these historic sites but it gives our guests a snapshot of their historical significance and they can return at their leisure to further explore what each one has to offer,” he said.
Mark Christ recently retired from the Central Arkansas Library System. He also spent 29 years at the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.
“Today is the first time since my retirement that I got out of bed before the sun came up,” Christ said. “But it’s worth the effort with such a great group of folks. When you can share these historic things with people and see their reaction it is very rewarding. Today we are visiting five battlegrounds, two museums and two fortifications.”
Christ explained how one of the highlights of the day was gaining access to the Tate’s Bluff earthworks. Located on private property some 30 miles upriver from Camden, the fort sits on an elevated point overlooking the confluence of the Little Missouri River with the Ouachita River.
“It’s in such good condition; you could put a cannon in there and the fort could be readily defended today.
“It’s a big, square redoubt, with some tree cover that’s not badly overgrown. It’s arguably the most intact earthworks in the state,” he said.
“The Camden Expedition and the scenic byway provide great opportunities for tourism and economic opportunity in South Arkansas,” he said.
One of the better-known participants on the tour was Rex Nelson, columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. As he perused Dallas County Museum displays during the whirlwind stop, he commented.
“I’m here because I’m a history nerd,” Nelson said. “This is great fun. You know traveling rural Arkansas is my thing and Mark Christ knows the Civil War so well. One of the most interesting things on today’s tour was getting to see the fortifications at Tate’s Bluff for the first time.”
Retired Army Col. Nate Todd, who resides in Pine Bluff and is the former Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs, was an eager participant in the tour and shared his enthusiasm for the day’s activities.
“Arkansas has a great history and we can learn so much from it,” Todd said.
“I’m proud of the achievements we’ve made and look forward to continuing prosperity and quality of life our state provides.”
