Books, Sources & Resources
The history of Fort Duffield is preserved through a combination of primary sources, regimental histories, archival documents, and local publications. These materials form the foundation of modern research and interpretation at the fort.
Below is a curated list of the most important books and resources used to build the Fort Duffield Walking Tour and interpretive exhibits.
Primary Sources
History of the Ninth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry (1909)
Author: John A. C. Kelley
The most important Fort Duffield source. Includes the fort diagram (Figure 9), construction details, camp life, and firsthand accounts.
Historical Sketches of the Ninth Michigan Infantry (1913)
Author: Charles A. Bennett
Contains the padlock story, pig incident, accidental shooting, night alarms, burials, and a soldier’s sketch of Fort Duffield.
Michigan Adjutant General’s Reports (1861–1865)
Official records of deaths, burials, regimental movements, and chaplain duties.
Detroit Tribune Correspondence (March 1, 1862)
Firsthand account of the Salt River Bridge, mud, sickness, and morale.
Surgeon’s Notes of the 9th Michigan Infantry
Documents sickness at West Point, hospital tents, and Chaplain Portman’s night vigils.
Official Records of the War of the Rebellion (ORs)
All official Union and Confederate correspondence involving West Point, Salt River, and the L&N Railroad.
Chaplain & Religious Sources
Writings of Chaplain John Hogarth Lozier
Public domain writings containing authentic quotes, humor, and chaplain hardships.
Rev. George Duffield Jr. — Hymn Sources
Author of “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus,” father of Col. William W. Duffield.
Local & Museum Resources
The Saga of Fort Duffield
Modern interpretive history used by the West Point History Museum.
West Point History Museum Books
Available only at the museum; covers West Point, Salt River, and regional Civil War history.
- West Point: River Town History
- Hardin County & West Point Civil War Sites
- Local cemetery records and maps
Hardin County Historical Society Publications
Local accounts, cemetery records, and regional Civil War context.
Recommended Reading
- The Uncivil War: Irregular Warfare in Kentucky
- Buell’s Army of the Ohio
- Civil War Kentucky: The Bluegrass State in the Conflict