West Point, a pair of little‑known fortifications stood on the Indiana side of the Ohio
River. Built by the Indiana Legion — the state militia — these temporary works played a
brief but dramatic role in the defense of Louisville and the Ohio River corridor. Though
largely forgotten today, a contemporary newspaper confirms their existence and their
involvement in one of the most unusual incidents in the region’s wartime history.
Background: Panic Along the Ohio River
In September 1861, Kentucky’s neutrality collapsed as both Union and Confederate forces
entered the state. Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner moved north from Bowling Green,
raising fears that Louisville — then the tenth‑largest city in the United States — might be
attacked. With few federal troops available, the defense of the region fell to hastily
organized Home Guard and state militia units.
West Point, located at the mouth of Salt River, became a critical junction. Whoever held this
point controlled the river approach to Louisville and the Louisville & Nashville Turnpike.
Union commanders quickly ordered fortifications on both sides of the river.
Construction of the Indiana Forts
On the Harrison County, Indiana bluff directly opposite West Point, a company of the
Indiana Legion under Capt. Knapp established a fortified position. These works were
constructed of earth, brush, and logs — typical of emergency militia fortifications in the
early months of the war.
A contemporary source, the Corydon Democrat (November 26, 1861), reported:
“Field works for the defense of the border have been erected in Harrison County by the order
of Governor Morton, at a point opposite the mouth of Salt River… They have erected an
impregnable fortification of earth and brush which commands the town of West Point, Kentucky.”
These works were not part of the U.S. Army’s defensive system. They were state militia
positions built in response to the fear that Confederate forces might attempt to cross the
Ohio River or threaten Louisville from the south.
Artillery on the Indiana Bluff
The same newspaper article confirms that the Indiana Legion position included small field
pieces, most likely 6‑pounder smoothbore cannons. These guns were common in militia
service and were light enough to be hauled up the steep Indiana hillside.
The article also notes that the fortification “commanded the town of West Point,” meaning the
guns had a clear line of sight across the river. This positioning explains why early accounts
sometimes mention “guns across the river,” even though no federal artillery was ever stationed
on the Indiana shore.
The Shot Fired Into West Point
One of the most striking incidents involving the Indiana forts occurred when a group of
Confederate sympathizers — referred to locally as the “Confederate Council” — met in a house
in West Point. According to the Corydon Democrat:
“The battery of six‑pounders at the fort on the Indiana hill went into action… The battery
opened fire on a house and after scoring a direct hit, the ‘Confederate Council’ meeting
rapidly adjourned.”
This is the only documented instance of artillery fire directed into West Point during the
war. The incident, long preserved in local oral tradition, is now confirmed by a contemporary
newspaper source.
These actions were carried out by state militia, not federal troops. The Indiana Legion
operated independently of the U.S. Army and often acted quickly — and sometimes aggressively —
in response to perceived threats.
The Stuckey Gun Test
The Indiana forts also played a role in the testing of an experimental rifled cannon invented
by Stephen Stuckey of New Albany. After the gun exploded during an earlier trial, the
New Albany wharf master, Mr. Rayner, repaired it and brought it to the mouth of Salt River for
a second test.
The test was successful, and the shot was fired from the same area where the Indiana Legion
maintained its artillery position. This event likely contributed to early reports of a
“rifled gun” in the West Point defenses.
Why These Forts Disappeared from the Record
Despite their documented existence, the Indiana forts vanished from most Civil War histories.
Several factors explain this:
- They were state militia works, not federal fortifications.
- They were temporary and abandoned once federal troops arrived.
- No official U.S. Army maps recorded them.
- Indiana Legion records were poorly preserved.
- Fort Duffield overshadowed them once construction began in late 1861.
By early 1862, the Indiana forts had served their purpose and were no longer needed. Their
brief existence was preserved only in local memory — and in the pages of the Corydon Democrat.
Legacy and Significance
The Indiana forts opposite West Point represent an important but overlooked chapter in the
region’s Civil War history. They demonstrate how quickly communities mobilized in the face of
uncertainty and how state militias filled the gap before federal forces could take control.
These forts also help explain early accounts of artillery fire across the river and provide
essential context for understanding the defensive landscape before Fort Duffield was built.
Related Research
Sources
- Corydon Democrat, November 26, 1861.
- Briggs, Richard A. The Saga of Fort Duffield. Friends of Fort Duffield, 2014.
- Indiana Legion records, 7th Regiment, 3rd Brigade.