Nestled in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Fort Butler stands as a testament to the brutal complexities of the American Civil War. Engineered by West Point graduates and constructed in 1863, this pivotal Union stronghold guarded the strategic confluence of the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche, a vital waterway to the Gulf of Mexico. Though the original log-and-earth fort is long gone, its legacy endures at the Fort Butler Historic Site, where annual reenactments bring its dramatic history to life. Join us as we uncover the story of a fort that shaped the fate of a region.
Louisiana’s Secession and the Struggle for Control
In January 1861, Louisiana joined the Confederacy, escalating tensions that erupted into the Civil War. By April 1862, Union Admiral David Farragut had secured New Orleans, placing it under the controversial rule of General Benjamin Butler. The struggle for control intensified when Farragut demanded Donaldsonville’s surrender in August 1862. When Mayor Walker defiantly refused, Farragut ordered the town’s destruction, a devastating act that made headlines across the nation. Recognizing Donaldsonville’s critical location for river access, the Confederacy remained determined to retake it, prompting the Union to fortify its position.
The Ingenious Design and Controversial Construction of Fort Butler
Union General George Strong proposed the construction of a fort at Bayou Lafourche, a suggestion swiftly approved by President Lincoln. Lieutenant John Palfrey, a West Point graduate with deep ties to Louisiana, was tasked with supervising its construction. Palfrey, an officer, engineer, and covert spy, leveraged his family connections to gather intelligence while designing the fort. Constructed by fugitive slaves and Colonel Richard Holcomb, the fort was a star-shaped marvel of earth and wood, surrounded by a 16-foot-wide, 12-foot-deep brick-lined moat. Its formidable defenses included seven 24-pound cannons, a 30-pound cannon, a three-inch rifle, stockades, rifle pits, and a cleared zone with camouflaged pits and sharpened felled trees.
Naming the Fort: A Symbol of Union Power
On February 9, 1863, the fort was officially named in honor of General Benjamin Franklin Butler, a figure widely reviled in Southern Louisiana. Known as “Beast Butler” for his harsh martial law policies, including the imprisonment of women who insulted his troops and the classification of former slaves as “contraband” property, Butler was a polarizing figure. His policies provided the Union with a nearly limitless labor supply for the war effort and new “Government Plantations,&rdquo further fueling Southern resentment. Colonel Richard Holcomb, military commandant of Donaldsonville, famously declared at the dedication, “This is the flag under which your fathers fought for freedom, the flag you have forsaken. Whoever attempts to pull it down will be shot.”
The Battle of Fort Butler: A Pivotal Union Victory
The Battle of Fort Butler proved critical in thwarting Confederate efforts to regain ground. In the spring of 1863, with Port Hudson and Vicksburg as the last Confederate strongholds on the Mississippi, General Richard Taylor launched a surprise attack on Fort Butler at 2:00 a.m. on June 28, 1863. Outnumbered nearly five to one, Major Joseph Bullen commanded the Union defense, consisting of 180-200 troops from the 28th Maine Volunteer Infantry and African American soldiers from the Louisiana Native Guard, many of whom had helped build the fort. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Confederates were repulsed by 6:00 a.m., suffering heavy casualties (301 dead or wounded compared to 21 Union). Faulty intelligence and the fort’s intricate defenses proved decisive, securing a vital Union victory and preventing a Confederate resurgence in Louisiana.
Conclusion
Following its crucial victory, Donaldsonville remained under Union occupation, serving as a vital headquarters. However, the fort itself was eventually leveled in 1902 during dam construction and later covered by levees in the 1930s, eventually becoming a parking lot. Today, the Fort Butler Historic Site offers a compelling window into this dramatic chapter of American history. With informative plaques, educational programs, and annual reenactments, it ensures that the strategic importance and human stories behind Fort Butler’s fiery stand in the Civil War are never forgotten, preserving the legacy of a small fort that played a large role in shaping the nation’s destiny.
