The day started at historic Ft.Smith. It was first created at a location named Belle Point, so named by the scout sent to identify sites for potential forts on the edge of Indian territory and white territory. It served that purpose for some time. Later it was relocated further from the river with stone fortifications. A federal fort, it passed into the hands of the Confederates for two years before being recaptured by the Union. Inretesting native Americans from the five eastern nations relocated there fought for both sides. Some were even slave owners.
After the civil war it was used a jail and prison as it was a lawless time and US Marshall's hauled in white, native, black, and female prisoners. Judge Parker was renowned for his tenure there as he signed death sentences for 160 prisoners. Almost half got off on some appeal. While he was firm, he wished that the death penalty could be abolished and he believed in Womens suffrage.
My next stop was Massard Prairie battlefield, my first civil war battlefield of the trip. Here the Kansas 6th infantry camped to feed their horses while the Union held Ft Smith because fodder was running low. The Confederates learned of the camp and made a surprise attack. Only a few got away on horseback. Most did not have time to sadddle and their horses fled, and they were killed or captured. This event led civilians to seek shelter in the fort for the remainder of the war under terrible conditions.
After a quick lunch at a Mexican restaurant, I was off to Little Rock via back roads. It was beautiful to slip theough the mountains but so many desperately poor looking homes with trash, rusting appliances, and abandoned cars in the yard. One even had goats in the front yard. I saw two large lumber mills including one Potlach who used to have a plant near my home. There was a lot of cattle and surprisingly many chicken farms. I arrived at Maumella Campground around four and had my tent set up and things settled around five. I decided to have a sunset ( I use that term loosely; it was trying to rain) paddle upriver. I scared up four or five herons and one kingfisher.
I'm making an early night since tomorrow I'm back to work from my more remote than usual office.
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