Fort De Russy (4)
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HistoryFort De Russy was the site of three major Civil War engagements and many minor skirmishes. In February 1863, the Union ram Queen of the West was captured by Confederate troops at the fort and was repaired and refitted there prior to being sent out to capture the Union ironclad Indianola. In May 1863 the fort was being abandoned and the Confederate gunboats Cotton and Grand Duke were attacked by the Union gunboats in front of the fort. The fight ended as a Confederate victory and the Union gunboats retreated down the river. Union naval forces occupied the abandoned fort, destroyed part of it, and left. The Confederate army rebuilt the fort and water batteries. In March 1864, at the start of the Red River Campaign, the fort was attacked from the land side by Union General Andrew J. Smith, (Cullum 976). Confederate General John Walker retreated, leaving a small force of some 300 men to defend the fort against Smith's 10,000 men. The fort was captured after only a four-hour siege. After the capture by Union forces, Fort De Russy was used as a recruiting station for black troops, and as a contraband camp for escaped slaves. By late May 1864, Union forces had abandoned the fort and it was never re-garrisoned. Current Status
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Links: Visited: 30 Oct 2020
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