The September 28th Advocate had an article "Historical forts threatened" by Sandy Davis.
The Union fleet bombarded these two forts for seven days and finally on April 24, 1862 ran past them and broke the chain barrier protecting New Orleans. Some historians refer to it as the night the war was lost. Within a few days, the Confederates surrendered the city to Admiral Farragut.
Today, these forts are being considered for national park status and that can't come to soon as both are in danger of deteriorating to the point of no return. There is a bill going nowhere in Congress right now.
These forts housed soldiers until after World War I. They have battled the elements continuously, especially rough have been the hurricanes and Katrina along with brush, vines and even snakes.
The 1820s Fort Jackson is crumbling and falling. Fort St. Philip is even older, built in 1741 by the French and is deteriorating even faster. Plus, it has been under private ownership since the 1920s when both were sold.
Fort Jackson was sold in 1929 to Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Harvey in 1927, but they donated it to Plaquemines Parish in 1962. Fort St. Philip was sold to John and Joseph Vela in 1929 and is owned by five people today. Efforts have been made to restore it but have failed.
Let's Hope Something gets Done Before Both Are Lost Forever. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
