Fort B -- The largest Cape Girardeau Civil War fort

Fort B, located on the hill where Academic Hall and Kent Library now stand on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, played a key role in the Battle of Cape Girardeau, April 26, 1863. Construction of this fort began shortly after the commencement of construction on Forts A and D in summer 1861. Along with Fort C, Fort B provided defense of the center of Cape Girardeau.

Michael and Nicholas Dittlinger owned the site. Michael Dittlinger was born in Paylem, Germany in 1818, came to Cape Girardeau in 1853, purchased the Richard's Cape Lime Company, and produced commercial lime. Their quarry is where Houck Stadium is located today, and the house sat north of the quarry, labeled "Cottage" in the plan map.

When the engineers prepared a plan for fortifications, the Dittlinger property was a key site because of its elevation and commanding view of much of the area west of Cape. Dittlingers were strong Unionists, but they expected compensation for their property. They wrote to Gen. Fremont on Sept. 4, 1861, "Arbitrators nominated by Col Marsh have valued the ... five acres ... with all the buildings at $7,500... The engineer and his assistants have already occupied a large portion of the house ... the progress of the work actually requires the destruction of the plantation around the house and our speedy removal ..." Dittlingers reoccupied the house after the war, although it was damaged. It would take until the late 1890s for Congress to provide compensation for the damage.

The plan map is oriented with west (toward Capaha Park) at the top, and north (toward the present-day Show-Me Center) on the right. The fort was roughly 800 feet north-south and about 400 feet across at its north end. The portion of the fort on the higher hill, where Academic Hall lies today, was enclosed on three sides, and the west wall extended to the Dittlinger house about where Kent Library is today. Two mounted 24-pound parapet guns and a 24-pound field gun faced west. Platforms at the southwest and northwest corners provided for en barbette guns.

Unique among the forts, the designers either built or planned a barracks inside the fort. A block house provided part of the wall at the southeast corner. The powder magazine sat in the north-central quarter of the fort. The defense associated with Fort B included Battery A, about where the Dempster Hall parking lot is today; Battery B, on the hill where Longview is today; and rifle pits where Southeast Health is today.

During the Battle of Cape Girardeau, the central forts and Battery B kept up continuous fire. A letter written by Alexander D. Wilson of Company E, 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, about the artillery at the battle states, "... they fought us about 3 1/2 hours during which time our forts poured in a galling fire upon them ... our Infantry [and] field batteries were hotly engaged ... Our Batteries played on them till it Sounded Like peels of Thunder..."