Fort Defiance, located at the southernmost tip of the state near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, then called Camp Defiance, served as the staging ground for Union operations from the earliest part of the Civil War. Though the Fort itself never saw direct battle, the Fort served as a defensive position and a training camp and supply headquarters for the Union Army, at one time holding thousands of Union Soldiers there.
General Grant launched missions from Cairo that led to major Union victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson to help the Union gain control of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. The nearby community of Mound City was home to the construction of several ironclad, wooden, and hospital ship vessels used by the Union, including the USS Cairo, which was sunk in 1862, and eventually raised in the 1960s, restored, and now serves as a museum in Vicksburg National Military Park.
Cairo was also a safe place for thousands of southern slaves seeking shelter and security. In approximately 1862, a “Contraband Camp” was established and provided housing, a hospital, and a school for southern refugees. The site was home to the enlistment of some refugees into the Union Army and was recently recognized as part of the National Park Service’s “Network to Freedom” program for its role in the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves find passages to freedom in the North.
Although Cairo was never home to an official Civil War battle, its legacy as a linchpin to Union success in the struggle between the North and the South is preserved in the Cairo Public Library, which maintains a collection of Civil War-era documents and history, and the nearby Mound City National Cemetery serves as the final resting place for both Union and Confederate soldiers.
118th District State Representative Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) serves as the State Representative for Alexander County and the city of Cairo. Jacobs, a US Navy Veteran, expressed his pride and admiration for the rich history of the region.
“Many people may be surprised to learn that many different types of ships used to control the Mississippi River and its tributaries were active in and around Cairo, Illinois, during the Civil War,” Jacobs said. “There was also a hospital ship stationed near Cairo where both Confederate and Union Soldiers injured in battle were treated. As a Navy Veteran and as State Representative for the region, I am extremely proud of the work that Alexander County and the city of Cairo have done to preserve their rich Civil War history. I encourage anyone to visit Fort Defiance State Park and Mound City to learn more about how Cairo and the surrounding area and waterways were used by Union Army and naval forces to help the Union win the Civil War.”