Donaldsonville, Louisiana-- Part 1: Former State Capital and Fort Butler

From Wikipedia.

Abner Read was mortally wounded in a fight with Confederates near here on July 7, 1863.  He died the next day.

I'd never heard of this town before or its role in the Civil War.

It was the former capital of Louisiana (1829-1831), moved from New Orleans as English-speaking people in the state wanted to get the capital away from all the French people on New Orleans.

Union forces attacked and occupied the city in 1862.  Fort Butler was built to protect the city and it was successfully defended on June  28, 1863,  against a Confederate attack.  This marked the first time that free blacks and fugitive slaves fought as soldiers on behalf of the Union Army.  The fort is listed on the NRHP.

--Old B-Runner