Augusta / Woodruff County, Arkansas

Long before the white man set foot in what is now Arkansas, the Chickasaw Indians built a settlement of teepees and log huts on a high bluff overlooking the White River. The site was used by the Indians as a river crossing (Chickasaw Crossing) and also marked an important trail between the tribes. In 1848, the town of Augusta - named for the niece of the founder, Thomas Hough - was established, and was incorporated in 1861. Woodruff County was created on November 26 1862, the 54th county in Arkansas, and was originally to be called Mallory County. The name Woodruff was chosen probably from William E. Woodruff, Sr. creator of the Arkansas Gazette. It could have been named for W. E. Woodruff, Jr. or Alden M. Woodruff both supporters of the Confederacy.
 
The town's situation at a natural river landing brought prosperity with the coming of steamboats to the White River. Business flourished, the population grew, and in 1863, Augusta became the county seat of Woodruff County. Though the town was almost completely destroyed during the Civil War (1861–1865), the citizens rebuilt, and Augusta enjoyed it's greatest time of prosperity during the 1870's when its population grew to one thousand.

Battle of Fitzhugh Woods
 
In 1864, Gen. Dandridge McRae (CSA) was pursuing his duties of collecting and reorganizing Confederate absentees in northeast Arkansas. Without McRae's knowledge, Col. Christopher C. Andrews (USA) had been assigned the task of ridding the area of Confederate troops. The two forces ultimately clashed approximately six miles north of Augusta on April 1, 1864, very near the
present-day community of Fitzhugh.