Fort Defiance Park in Cairo, Illinois, marks one of the world’s most important river confluences – the Ohio and Mississippi. On a typical day, 4.4 million gallons of water merge at Fort Defiance every second. That’s equivalent of every person on earth receiving 49 gallons of water each day. So yes – watching these two mighty rivers come together is quite impressive.
Before modern times, these two rivers were the most important trade routes in the United States. Ships would move cargo up and down these rivers and their tributaries as critical supply lines for the fledging nation.
During the Civil War, Cairo was the southernmost stronghold and border of the Union. Cairo was booming with a population of 2,188 in 1860. Defending Cairo and these two rivers were of the utmost importance.
Camp Defiance was commissioned in 1861 to provide defense against a potential attack from the Confederacy. A line of sentries was posted along the Mississippi River levee upstream 20 miles from Cairo. Boats were stopped and searched for goods being shipped south to the rebels.
Forty pieces of artillery were in position and 5,000 men were being trained at the site. The Illinois Central Railroad stopped in Cairo and reportedly could provide 50,000 men in 24 hours’ notice if provoked by the South.