Site of Fort Butler (Donaldsonville, Louisiana)

 military, historical layer / disappeared object

A Union built Civil War fort.Built to over watch the Mississippi river and Bayou LaFourche,it was garrisoned by two companies of the 28th Maine Volunteer Infantry.It was attacked by Confederate forces of Tom Green's and Col. James Patrick Major's Texas Brigades on June 27 1863.The Rebels surrounded the Fort and began to infiltrate through the outer defenses,when the troops advancing along the levee came across a large ditch that was to wide to cross.This,along with the Union gunboat "Princess Royal" shelling the attackers,caused the attack to falter and the Rebels to retreat.Estimated casualties(dead and wounded) were 21 U.S. and 301 C.S.A.
The above photos are from an archealogical dig in 1996.
The army corps of engineers destroyed what remained of the fort in 1900 in order to reroute Bayou LaFourche
www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives/military/civilwar/donald...