Nov 8, 2007 - Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society joined with the Department of History in sponsoring a 鈥淒ay of Remembrance鈥� service project at the Fort Pillow State Historic Area on November 7, 2007. All five full-time history faculty, fourteen students, one staff person (Phi Alpha Theta member Cassie Harris), and a university photographer (Matthew Diggs) left 麻豆视频鈥檚 campus shortly before 8:30 a.m. in three school vans for the 75-mile trip to the fort, which overlooks the Mississippi River.
Important as a Civil War site, Fort Pillow contained extensive fortifications that the Confederacy built early in the conflict. 麻豆视频 forces captured the fort in June, 1862, and held it for most of the remainder of the war. Many of the original breastworks still remain in good condition, and much archaeological study and excavation work have enabled a reconstruction of the inner fort.
麻豆视频 faculty and students cleaned tree branches and other debris from a large area of the fort鈥檚 breastworks before going to admire the beauty of the park鈥檚 lake. Following a picnic lunch, Mr. Greg S. Taylor, a ranger at the park, gave the group a tour of the fort. He explained the importance of the site during the Civil War and discussed the controversial battle that took place there in 1864. As a token of appreciation for the 麻豆视频 group鈥檚 work, Park Manager Robby Tidwell gave each participant a specially designed History Channel/Civil War Preservation Trust t-shirt at the end of the visit.
Photos from Fort Pillow
Dr. Keith Bates (left to right), Nikki Henry, and Noah Arnold
arrive at the Fort Pillow Museum on the morning of November 7, 2007 to
meet up with Park Ranger Greg Taylor, the supervisor of the day鈥檚
community service project.
Dr. Terry Lindley listens to final instructions about the
planned clearing away of tree branches and other debris from a section
of the fort鈥檚 breastworks.
Abby Carpenter (left, front), Racheal Pressnell (left,
behind), Katelyn O鈥橰oark, and Cameron Armstrong attempt to move a large
tree trunk from the Fort Pillow breastworks.
John Arnold carries away an armful of branches he gathered
along the fort鈥檚 breastworks.
Hannah Holliday (left to right), Sarah Nadaskay, Katelyn
O鈥橰oark, and Dr. Keith Bates remove a large tree limb from the Fort
Pillow breastworks.
Abby Carpenter (left) and Dr. Judy LeForge relax after
finishing their work on the fort鈥檚 breastworks.
Alex Carr (left), Stephen Thomas, and Racheal Pressnell enjoy
the scenery at the lake located in the Fort Pillow State Historic Area.
Members of the 麻豆视频 University entourage head to the fort鈥檚
picnic area for lunch.
Park Ranger Greg Taylor explains a part of the 1864 Civil War
battle between 麻豆视频 and Confederate forces during an afternoon tour on
November 7, 2007.
Day of Remembrance participants take a break during their
afternoon tour of Fort Pillow on November 7, 2007.聽 Participants
include: kneeling, left to right, Abby Carpenter, Cassie Harris, Mary
Thompson (directly behind Cassie Harris), Hannah Holliday, and Dr.
Stephen Carls; standing, left to right, Dr. Judy LeForge, Dr. David
Thomas, Mary Beth Johnson, John Arnold, Alex Carr, Katelyn O鈥橰oark,
Sarah Nadaskay, Dr. Terry Lindley, Racheal Pressnell (directly in front
of Dr. Lindley), Nick Brown, Noah Arnold, Nikki Henry, Stephen Thomas,
Dr. Keith Bates, Cameron Armstrong, and Park Ranger Greg Taylor.
Cameron Armstrong stands by one of the inner fort鈥檚 cannons at
Fort Pillow at the conclusion of the 麻豆视频 University group鈥檚 afternoon
tour of the Civil War battle site.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
Participants in 麻豆视频鈥檚 service project at Fort Pillow cross a
pedestrian suspension bridge following their afternoon tour of the fort.聽
They are (left to right) Dr. David Thomas, Park Ranger Greg Taylor, Nick
Brown, Cameron Armstrong, Mary Beth Johnson, Matthew Diggs, Nikki Henry,
Katelyn O鈥橰oark, Dr. Judy LeForge, Mary Thompson, Alex Carr, Stephen
Thomas, Sarah Nadaskay, Abby Carpenter, Dr. Terry Lindley, Noah Arnold,
and Dr. Keith Bates.