Fort Pickering (2)

Fort Pickering (2) (1801-1806, 1861-1865) - A U.S. Army post established in 1801 by Captain Zebulon M. Pike in Shelby County, Tennessee. Named for Timothy Pickering, U.S. Secretary of State (1795-1800) under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. Initially abandoned in 1806 but rebuilt and expanded during the U.S. Civil War. Also known initially as Fort Pike (3).

Fort Pickering (2) History

Established by Captain Zebulon M. Pike in 1801 when he relocated nearby Fort Adams (4) to present day Memphis, Tennessee.

U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)

Confederate forces occupied the site of old Fort Pickering and utilized two old Indian mounds as redoubts; the largest Mound was used as a four-gun redoubt with an interior magazine and the smaller was used as a three-gun redoubt. Union forces captured Memphis in Jun 1862 and greatly expanded the earthworks to enclose the old fort and the new Union support facilities. Memphis was ringed with Union batteries and redans. The fortifications were abandoned soon after the end of the war.

Current Status

Traces of the Union earthworks still exist in Crump and De Soto Park in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. Remains of a magazine can be seen in one of the Indian mounds in De Soto Park.

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Location: Crump Park and De Soto Park in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. Maps & Images Lat: 35.122566 Long: -90.075371 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....'

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 745

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Pickering
• Historic Fort Pickering

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