Arkansas Guardsmen Observe Black History Month

Photo By Stephen Wright | Bishop Chester L. Thompson, Senior Pastor of the Zion Hill Baptist Church in Camden, Ark., displays photos at a presentation about the historical Civil War Battle of Poison Spring at the monthly history roundtable held at the Arkansas National Guard Museum in North Little Rock, Ark., Feb. 22, 2017.  

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR, UNITED STATES

02.22.2017

Story by Sgt. Stephen Wright 

Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs Office

Thompson is a Civil War Living Historian and regularly participates in reenactments of Civil War battles. He identified hardships endured by the Soldiers of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry during the Camden Expedition as a highlight to Black History Month.

The Battle of Poison Spring was fought in Ouachita County, Ark., on April 18, 1864. Thompson outlined the Camden Expedition as being one of the largest Union disasters during the Civil War. Union forces suffered over 2,500 casualties in addition to losing hundreds of wagons and failed to take Shreveport or Texas during the campaign.

• Date Taken: 02.22.2017
• Date Posted: 02.22.2017 15:33
• Story ID: 224347
• Location: NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR, US
• Hometown: CAMDEN, AR, US
• Hometown: NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR, US