after the fall of memphis and new orleans, the confederates controlled a stretch of river between vicksburg and port hudson, a small place about 20 miles north of baton rouge. concurrent with the siege of vicksburg, the yankees moved to invest port hudson, and so gain control of the entire river. the struggle for port hudson lasted slightly longer than the struggle for vicksburg, 5,000 confederates from alabama, mississippi, arkansas, and louisiana held off 30,000 yankees until they ran out of food and ammunition. the earthworks at port hudson are supposed to be the best preserved from the civil war. which, ones like fort desperate (pictured) is in pretty good condition, one can identify the moat full of water and the earthen mound of a wall. today, trees grow out of it, and the union zig-zagging sappers trenches are hard to see, however, the brush there was being cleared by two people while i was there. the port hudson fortifications on display did not include any river front property or any of the river batteries...
the battle did display the 1st Louisiana Native Guards in the first use of coloured soldiers during the war. the 1st Louisiana N.G. was a regiment that had already existed prior to the war as a free black and mulatto militia in new orleans. ever since new orleans had been a spanish territory, new orleans had maintained a company of coloured infantry amongst the militia companies of the city to protect new orleans from foreign invasion. the 1st LA N.G. took heavy casualties during their failed assault of the Confederate works. However, their heroics led to the creation of other regiments such as the 54th Massachussetts, who also gained renown for their heavy casualties in their failed attack on Battery Wagner in South Carolina.
The park today is quiet, and overgrown by dense Louisiana undergrowth. I kept hearing birds, bull frogs, and alligators make their sounds while i was attacked by mosquitos and flies. the wasps, bees, yellow jackets, mud daubers, and hornets all thought it enjoyable to fly around near me to see if i would freak out. it was pretty cool to be out in nature again.
all this entertainment for 2 dollars!
after the fall of memphis and new orleans, the confederates controlled a stretch of river between vicksburg and port hudson, a small place about 20 miles north of baton rouge. concurrent with the siege of vicksburg, the yankees moved to invest port hudson, and so gain control of the entire river. the struggle for port hudson lasted slightly longer than the struggle for vicksburg, 5,000 confederates from alabama, mississippi, arkansas, and louisiana held off 30,000 yankees until they ran out of food and ammunition. the earthworks at port hudson are supposed to be the best preserved from the civil war. which, ones like fort desperate (pictured) is in pretty good condition, one can identify the moat full of water and the earthen mound of a wall. today, trees grow out of it, and the union zig-zagging sappers trenches are hard to see, however, the brush there was being cleared by two people while i was there. the port hudson fortifications on display did not include any river front property or any of the river batteries...
the battle did display the 1st Louisiana Native Guards in the first use of coloured soldiers during the war. the 1st Louisiana N.G. was a regiment that had already existed prior to the war as a free black and mulatto militia in new orleans. ever since new orleans had been a spanish territory, new orleans had maintained a company of coloured infantry amongst the militia companies of the city to protect new orleans from foreign invasion. the 1st LA N.G. took heavy casualties during their failed assault of the Confederate works. However, their heroics led to the creation of other regiments such as the 54th Massachussetts, who also gained renown for their heavy casualties in their failed attack on Battery Wagner in South Carolina.
The park today is quiet, and overgrown by dense Louisiana undergrowth. I kept hearing birds, bull frogs, and alligators make their sounds while i was attacked by mosquitos and flies. the wasps, bees, yellow jackets, mud daubers, and hornets all thought it enjoyable to fly around near me to see if i would freak out. it was pretty cool to be out in nature again.
all this entertainment for 2 dollars!
