Forts Jackson & St. Philip, LA
Date(s):
April 16-28, 1862
Location:
Please click on link below for map.
Fort Jackson, Louisiana, United States
Campaign(s):
Expedition to and Capture of New Orleans [1862]
Battles in
Campaign:
Situation:
-
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.
Commanders:
-
Union:
Flag-Officer David G. Farragut
-
Confederate:
Brig. Gen. Johnson K. Duncan and Cdr. John K.
Mitchell
Principal Forces:
-
Union:
West Gulf Blockading Squadron
-
Confederate:
Garrisons of Forts Jackson and St. Philip and the crews of various ships
Description:
-
Farragut based his operations from Ship Island, Mississippi,
and on April 8th, 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 Confederates 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.
Slide Presentation:
None
Classification1:
A
Casualties2:
-
Union:
229
-
Confederate:
782
Results:
Union
Victory
Battlefield Website:
Recommended Resources:
1
Classification:
-
A
- having a decisive influence on a
campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war
-
B -
having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign
-
C -
having observable influence on the
outcome of a campaign
-
D
-
having a limited influence on the
outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important
local objectives
2 Casualties are
someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.
Revised
06/05/2008 |
