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Farming For A Better Future, page 121
within a radius of 6 to 7 miles but found only 40, and, consequently, General Buell [Col. Harker's
Excerpts of the Census from National Archives and Records Administration via Ancestry.com (Below) Excerpt of 1940 Census Record Showing Several African American Farm Owners in the Neighborhood of Avery (Bottom) Excerpt of 1940 Census Record Showing Several African American Farm Owners in the Neighborhood of New Town
commanding officer] directed 400 Negroes from the Northwest railroad to Stevenson to complete all orders. In addition to Fort Harker, which commanded to village, the supply depot and the approaches thereto, a companion, Fort Mitchell, was constructed as were 7 blockhouses.” Whether the men impressed into service were slaves or freedmen is unclear, also there is no known mention of a U.S. Colored Troop regiment.
Ultimately, the fort was involved in a skirmish and then quickly regained by the Union and reinforced with heavy artillery. The fort was not needed after 1864 but served as a rallying point before most troops marched to Chattanooga. Fort Harker is presently an archaeological site owned by the TVA with plans to gift it to the City of Stevenson to become a city park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Prior it its nomination, archaeological
investigations were carried out by David H. Hannah, an archaeologist with the National Parks Service. He and his team uncovered a round wooden stock tank in the southeast corner which possibly served as a domestic water reservoir and may have held water for swabbing cannons during combat. There has not been any recent work on the history or archaeology of the fort.
121 - DEKALB, JACKSON & MARSHALL - (4649)