Fort St. Philip (Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana)
Plaquemines Parish · Louisiana · Civil War
History & Significance
Fort St. Philip is a historic masonry fort located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, about 40 miles upriver from its mouth in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, opposite Fort Jackson. The site was first fortified by the French in 1746 and rebuilt by the Spanish in 1791–92 before passing to U.S. control in 1803 following the Louisiana Purchase.
In February 1808, American engineers began comprehensive improvements, ordering over two million bricks for reconstruction; these upgrades, completed by 1810, included reinforcing walls and expanding battery positions to mount heavier guns. Major General Andrew Jackson directed further repairs and reinforcements in 1814; these enhancements proved effective during the British bombardment from January 9 to 18, 1815, when the fort's improved resilience repelled the attack.
During the American Civil War, Fort St. Philip was the site of a twelve-day battle in April 1862 by Union forces—the decisive battle for the capture of New Orleans. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Fort St. Philip remains privately owned and in a state of bad deterioration, having been heavily damaged in 2005 during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_St._Philip
- https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d7a7be99-ac2e-4307-b50c-2aa5547d039b
- https://grokipedia.com/page/fort_st_philip
- https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/civil-war/cw-operations-and-engagements/1862-civil-war/forts-jackson-and-stphilip.html
- https://blogs.loc.gov/maps/2024/04/the-battle-of-forts-jackson-and-st-philip-through-maps/