Civil War Louisiana (CWLA)

________________________________________
Civil War Louisiana (CWLA)
CWLA seeks to provide an online resource of any and all material of the Civil War relating to Louisiana with a special interest in the war in Acadiana in southwest Louisiana.
____________________________________________

Sunday, May 15, 2022

“Killed at Gettysburg: Horthere Fontenot, 8th Louisiana”

The Fontenot Brothers of Co. F, 8th Louisiana Infantry



 Killed At Gettysburg has a great write up of one of Opelousas’ “Opelousas Guards” - Horthere Fontenot. You travel the Opelousas, Eunice, Ville Platte area today you will still find MANY Fontenots! Horthere joined the Opelousas Guards in 1861 with his brothers. Their company became Company F of the 8th Louisiana Infantry. The 8th Louisiana fought in the Virginia theater the entire war; most of that time in the 1st Louisiana Brigade of the II Corps in the Army of Northern Virginia. Veterans of 1st Manassas, Jackson’s Valley Campaign, the Seven Days, 2nd Manassas Campaign, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, the 8th Louisiana was a tough veteran unit marching north to Gettysburg in June 1863. 



Sunday, May 8, 2022

The 10th New York National Guard Is Mobilized and Sent to Louisiana

 Colonel Michael J. Stenzel put together an EXCELLENT regimental history of the 177th New York Infantry The 177th New York was the 10th New York National Guard that was mobilized into Federal service for 9 Months. The regiment served the entire time in Louisiana and took part in the Siege of Port Hudson. Again, Colonel Stenzel has done an outstanding job with numerous photographs, stats on losses, and really informative maps.


Map from Colonel Stenzel’s history in the 177th New York (10th New York National Guard). This map should perk the curiosity of any student of the war. Click on the link above to visit the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center to view this great regimental history.


Sunday, May 1, 2022

New Book on Port Hudson!



Lawrence Lee Hewitt has a new book on Port Hudson. The book is titled: Port Hudson: The Most Significant Battlefield Photographs of the Civil War. The book has 173 photos from Hewitt’s own collection! This looks to be a “must buy” for Civil War Louisiana enthusiasts.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

The Different Drum-Beats and What They Mean

Ran across this in the Houston Weekly Telegraph, November 13, 1861:



Thursday, July 30, 2020

Texans' Trip Across Southwest Louisiana in late 1861

The 4th and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments were raised in early 1861 and transferred to Virginia. Here are two accounts from part of their trip during which they crossed southwest Louisiana in August 1861.

Sergeant Benjamin Marshall Baker, Company B of the 5th Texas Infantry, and his regiment marched across southwest Louisiana in 1861. Here is Baker's impression of Louisiana. It is published online at the Nesbitt Memorial Library website. On September 11, 1861, from Canton, Mississippi, Baker wrote (which was published in the Colorado Citizen newspaper):


I can not speak too much in praise of the French who live on the route from Niblett's Bluff to New Iberia. They gave our volunteers milk, potatoes, bread, etc., and, in short, seemed to vie with each other in their efforts to do the agreeable for us. They are actuated by the most ardent spirit of patriotism and wished us much good luck in whipping out the Abolitionists. They will long live in the memory of our company. In New Orleans, also, we were treated with some consideration. The people sent us some provisions and gave us the use of a room during our stay in the city for the sick, of whom, I am glad to say, our company has only a small number.    We encountered a great many hardships on our march from Niblett's Bluff, Calcasieu Parish, to New Iberia. We waded in water every day—sometimes up to our neck; were not provided with sufficient provisions by the Government officer; had wet blankets to sleep on at night, and were generally in bad luck. Added to this I may mention the interesting fact that it rained on us every day from the time we left Houston till we arrived in New Orleans.


"W" of the "Tom Green Rifles" (Company B of the 4th Texas Infantry) wrote from Glendenning Ferry, Calcasieu Parish on August 25, 1861. The Tom Green Rifles were part of several companies of the 4th Texas Infantry (Companies A, B, C, D and E) making their way to New Iberia as well. When the column reached Niblett's Bluff on August 16, 1861, they discovered there was not enough transportation to carry their goods across southwest Louisiana. The companies were forced to leave a lot of materials behind before they could move on. Here is where we pick up with "W"'s account from the Texas State Gazette newspaper dated September 14, 1861:


"When at the bluffs, Ward assured us that he had sufficient transportation, but that Capt. McKenn's company from Galveston, which had passed through some weeks previously, had seized upon five of his mule teams, and taken them off, that we would meet them certainly in one or two days; had he carried the farce so far, as to authorize us to stop them, and take them back with us. Subsequent developments melted his "five mule teams," into two ox wagons, with which Mr. Ward had absolutely nothing to do, they having been hired by the Galveston company, and paid for out of their own pockets...  
"On our second day's march it began to rain, it what we Texans would call 'torrends,' and not three hours have elapsed wince without a shower, either day or night. In a short time from the commencement of the rain, it was evident that we could not proceed without more transportation, and details were sent out in every direction to scour the country for wagons, but only succeeded in finding a few ox carts, capable of carrying from five to eight pounds. Inline, to give you an idea of our train, we have been moving seven days, and have accomplished fifty-six miles; and I assure you that if the men had not repeatedly laid hold on the wagons and assisted, we would not have traveled much over half the distance. For some six days, not one of the commands has known the luxury of a dry garment, a dry bed, or a well-cooked meal. The days have been spent in wading through swamps, not unfrequently waist deep, in huddling around a poor fire, or stretched upon the marshy ground, with a wet blanket, when exhausted nature defied both ran and mosquitoes, and demanded sleep. 

The inhabitants upon the route are, as a general thing, disposed to do all in their power to assist us. When we reached this point, our wagons were several hours behind us, as they had been all day, and the men wet, tired, and hungry. As soon as we arrived at the opposite side of the river, Capt. Good, sho resides here, brought down a splendid schooner, which the blockade had driven in, and taking us all on board, landed us safely on this side Calcasieu River, where we found his entire negro forces, superintended by his lady, busy preparing bread and coffee for the whole command. In a short time, two beeves were driven up, and by the time the wagons had arrived (nine o'clock, P.M.) the men were ready to begin the arduous task of ferrying them over in a very small flat, which with the attention required by the teams, employed them until half-past two o'clock, A.M.

Additional Source on Hood's Texas Brigade:




Monday, July 27, 2020

Allen Lafayette Holland, Co. F, 28th Louisiana Photograph


Corporal Allen Holland, Company H, 28th Louisiana Infantry (Gray's)


Holland enrolled in Company H (Bienville Parish) of the 28th Louisiana Infantry (Gray's) Regiment on May 8, 1862. He was a resident of Bienville, Louisiana.


Some random links on material relating to Gray's 28th Louisiana Infantry:






Saturday, July 18, 2020

Letter of Cyrille Trasimon Guidry, Co. C, 7th Louisiana Cavalry

Marty Guidry has put together some history of the Guidry family at this link relating to Private Cyrille Trasimon Guidry of Company C, 7th Louisiana Cavalry. He provides history surrounding the soldier and posted a letter written by Cyrille in Cajun French!


Additional information on the 7th Louisiana Cavalry




Wednesday, July 15, 2020

17th Louisiana Infantry Photograph


John Wesley Weeks, Company B ("Sabine Rebels"), 17th Louisiana Infantry



"This regiment was organized at Camp Moore on September 29, 1861, with 832 men.  From Camp Moore, the regiment went to New Orleans.  As part of General Daniel Ruggles' brigade, the regiment occupied Camp Chalmette and later Camp Benjamin.  The brigade went to Corinth, Mississippi, in February, 1862.  On April 6 and 7, the men fought in the Battle of Shiloh.  Ordered to Vicksburg in May, the men saw only picket duty during the first Union attack on that place, May 18-July 27.  The regiment helped repulse the enemy attacks on Chickasaw Bluffs north of Vicksburg, December 26-29.  Remaining near Vicksburg through the winter, the regiment was assigned to General William E. Baldwin's brigade.  On May 1, 1863, the regiment fought in the Battle of Port Gibson and bore the brunt of the fighting during the Confederate retreat.  The men fell back to Vicksburg and participated in the siege there, May 19-July 4.  Paroled at the surrender of Vicksburg, the men returned to their homes.  In January, 1864, the regiment reported to a parole camp near Shreveport for a short time.  The men reassembled at Minden in May and soon went to Pineville.  As part of General Allen Thomas's brigade, the regiment remained in garrison at Pineville until May, 1865.  One report states that Company C was the only company in the regiment's division to remain on duty until discharged and that the company guarded the brigade's ammunition supply against the soldiers who were disbanding and going home."

Additional Resources:




Monday, July 6, 2020

11th Wisconsin Regimental History

The 11th Wisconsin Infantry was part of the XIII Corps that was transferred to the Department of the Gulf in August 1863. It took part in the Texas Overland Campaign in late 1863, then took part in Major General Nathaniel P. Banks' attack on the Texas coast, and upon their return to Louisiana in early 1864 they were "veteranized" and given a furlough to Wisconsin. The regiment returned to Louisiana in May 1864 (having outstanding luck in missing the disastrous Red River Campaign). It remained in Brashear City until late February 1865. At that time it was transferred to the XVI Corps and took part in the campaign against Mobile, Alabama. The regiment did not play an important role in any campaigns in Louisiana but it did serve in Louisiana. Christopher C. Wehner wrote a book on the regiment titled The 11th Wisconsin of the Civil War A Regimental History and has a website dedicated to his research on the regiment



Coppens' Zouave Battalion

Coppens' Zouave Battalion
Lt. Colonel George Coppens (seated) and brother, Captain Marie Alfred Coppens.Image sold at auction on Cowan Auctions, for $14,375