Fort Jackson
Fort St. Philip
Civil War Louisiana


American Civil War
April 16-28, 1862

Early Union plans had called for the division of the Confederacy by seizing control of the Mississippi River. One of the first steps in such operations was to enter the mouth of the Mississippi River, ascend to New Orleans and capture the city, closing off the entrance to Rebel ships.

In mid-January 1862, Flag-Officer David G. Farragut undertook this enterprise with his West Gulf Blockading Squadron. The way was soon open except for the two forts, Jackson and St. Philip, above the Head of the Passes, approximately seventy miles below New Orleans.

In addition to the forts and their armament, the Confederates had placed obstructions in the river and there were a number of ships, including two ironclads, to assist in the defense.

Farragut based his operations from Ship Island, Mississippi, and on April 8, he assembled 24 of his vessels and Comdr. David D. Porter's 19 mortar schooners near the Head of the Passes.

Starting on the 16th and continuing for seven days, the mortar schooners bombarded Fort Jackson but failed to silence its guns. Some of Farragut's gunboats opened a way through the obstruction on the night of the 22nd.

Early on the morning of the 24th, Farragut sent his ships north to pass the forts and head for New Orleans. Although the Rebels attempted to stop the Union ships in various ways, most of the force successfully passed the forts and continued on to New Orleans where Farragut accepted the city's surrender.

With the passage of the forts, nothing could stop the Union forces: the fall of New Orleans was inevitable and anti-climatic. Cut off and surrounded, the garrisons of the two forts surrendered on the 28th.

Result(s): Union victory

Location: Plaquemines Parish

Campaign: Expedition to and Capture of New Orleans (1862) next battle in campaign   Campaigns

Date(s): April 16-28, 1862

Principal Commanders: Flag-Officer David G. Farragut [US]; Brigadier General Johnson K. Duncan and Cdr. John K. Mitchell [CS]

Forces Engaged: West Gulf Blockading Squadron [US]; Garrisons of Forts Jackson and St. Philip and the crews of various ships [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 1,011 total (US 229; CS 782)

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Mississippi River, U.S. Gunboat Fort Hindman, Civil War
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With the fall of the critical city of New Orleans in spring 1862 the South lost the Civil War, although fighting would continue for three more years. On the Mississippi River, below New Orleans, in the predawn of April 24, 1862, David Farragut with fourteen gunboats ran past two forts to capture the South's principal seaport.






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Passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, April 24, 1862. Order of Attack
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"Reconnoissance of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on the Mississippi, by Gun-boats from Flag-officer Farragut's Squadron"
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting the attack on the obstructions below the forts, 20 April 1862.
U.S. Navy gunboats shown in right center are Itasca and Pinola . Further to the right are Kennebec and Winona . Fort Jackson is shown at far right, with Confederate gunboats beyond.

More on the Naval Battle at Fort Jackson


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Baton Rouge Louisiana City History and current weather

Sources:
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Library of Congress.

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