Battery C Revealed

Archaeological investigations in 2011 and 2013 revealed Battery C at a site where nothing was visible on the surface and historic Civil War maps showed differing sizes and shapes. Because plans to interpret the site and make it accessible required earth moving and construction, professional archaeologists investigated whether subsurface remains survived and what they could reveal. Using methods that included systematic metal detector surveys, hand excavation, and backhoe trenching, they mapped the location and depth of artifacts and recorded soils in each trench. Subtle differences in soil color and texture identified the ditch in front of Battery C, and the distribution of Civil War-era nails defined the revetment, the wooden retaining wall that held the earth in place. The investigations showed that Battery C's shape differed from every historic map.

Helena-West Helena, Arkansas · United States