Camden, Arkansas

=== American Civil War ===
{{Main|Camden Expedition}}
During the Civil War, Camden was the focus of [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] general [[Frederick Steele]]’s Red River Campaign of 1864. Steele moved south of Little Rock toward [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], but got only as far as Camden, which he occupied while the [[Confederate States Army|Confederates]] pulled back to defend Washington, Arkansas. Forts [[Fort Lookout (Arkansas)|Lookout]] and [[Fort Southerland|Southerland]] were built early in 1864, and the [[Camden Water Battery]] was built later in the same year, all to protect Camden from attack. After losing the [[Battle of Poison Spring|engagement at Poison Spring]] and the [[Battle of Marks' Mills|action at Marks’ Mill]], Steele had little choice but to retreat toward Little Rock. Camden and south Arkansas remained in Confederate hands until the end of the war.<ref name="EoA" />