Fort C -- the star fort

Construction on Fort C occurred concurrent with the building of the other forts. Fears of attack in summer 1861 fueled a flurry of construction. Over 1,000 Union soldiers, enslaved men, local citizens and Confederate prisoners all labored on the fortifications through the late summer and early fall.

The haste associated with construction of the forts sometimes resulted in confusion. Capt. Franz Kappner led the initial construction effort on the forts, and Capt. Henry Flad succeeded him. A letter to Gen. Fremont from Lt. John A. Veeth, placed in charge of Fort C construction, criticized Flad and the building of Fort C. His main criticism was that Fort C could be used to fire on Forts A and B if captured. "It has now five points to fire to Fort A, and three points to fire to Fort B." Fremont apparently ignored these issues.

Fort C was a star fort, a design dating back to the 14th Century. The basic design of a star fort is a series of pointed extensions that allow artillery to sweep all approaches to the fort. Thus, there are no defensive "dead zones" around the perimeter. Star forts are quite elegant when viewed from above.

The fort covered an area 400 by 400 feet on the southeast corner of present-day Pacific and Good Hope (then, part of the Jackson Road) at the east end of Bloomfield Road, extending almost to Sprigg Street. Fort Hope Apartments occupies part of the site today.

The fort's entrance was on the east side, toward the town. A sketch made by Pvt. Henry Lockwood of Co. I, 10th Iowa Infantry, from October 1861 shows 24-pound guns at each corner and in between, except on the east. This sketch shows the guns positioned to sweep any approach except to the east. Two "flying artillery" -- movable brass cannons outside the fort -- are in the sketch. The powder magazine was along the south wall, just beside a ramp leading to the gun platforms. The outside ditch was 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The sketch shows a camp east of the fort, and the majority of troops bivouacked to the east at the old fairgrounds, near South Frederick Street.

Sketch of Fort C and surroundings contained in a letter from Henry Lockwood, Co. I, 10th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, to his parents, Oct. 13, 1861. Henry Lockwood Civil War letters, 1861-1863, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines.Submitted photo

Fort C fired during the Battle of Cape Girardeau as Confederate forces moved up Bloomfield Road. For most of the battle, though, the action was further north, outside the coverage area of Fort C, and guns positioned further north held the Confederates in check.

There are few references to Fort C after the war. However, an 1880 bird's-eye view map of Cape Girardeau shows remnants of its walls, which appear eroded and show a partial outline of the bastions. The same map shows no trace of Fort B after the Normal School construction. Construction of houses on the Fort A site also obliterated its footprint. Fort D is outside the area covered by the map. Undoubtedly construction on Saint Francis Hospital in 1914 or earlier construction levelled the last vestiges of Fort C.