Near this spot on June 17, 1862, a decisive engagement was fought between Confederates entrenched here and Federal gunboats. The most destructive single shot of the Civil War was fired here, causing an explosion on the U.S.S. Mound City and the loss of 148 killed, besides many wounded. Those killed included officers and men on the U.S.S. Mound City, Confederate soldiers of Company G, 29th Arkansas Infantry, and William Hickman Harte, Master, U.S.N., born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1826 and killed in action here.