Fort Jackson (2)

 (1832-1922) - A Third System Coastal Fort first established in 1832 on the Mississippi River at Plaquemines Bend, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Named after Gen. Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States. Abandoned in 1922.



Third System (1816-1867)
Defended Plaquemines Bend on the Mississippi River.

Construction of the Third System fort began in 1822 and was completed in 1832 at a cost of $ 554,500. The fort was built on a foundation of three layers of cypress logs topped by cypress 2x4s submerged underwater. The fort walls are of red brick, twenty-five feet high, twenty feet thick, with granite reinforced gun foundations. The fort layout is in the shape of a regular pentagon with arrow-shaped bastions on each point. In the center was a 10 sided open center citadel that would reportedly house 500 troops. By the U.S. Civil War a separate water battery had been built on the right flank of the fort.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)
Construction began on the first of two Endicott Period gun batteries in 1898 and both of them were constructed within the boundaries of the old fort. Battery Ransom was built right onto the parade and Battery Millar was built on top of the earthworks on the left flank. Both batteries were completed by 1901.

Fort Jackson was operated as a subpost of Fort St. Philip and had only quarters for caretakers and no support buildings.



World War I (1917-1918)
Fort Jackson was used as a training base during World War I.

Use of Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson (2) for coast defense purposes was discontinued 11 Mar 1920 as a part of the postwar disarmament program. The remaining gun batteries were disarmed and the guns shipped out over the next year and by 1922 both posts were abandoned. Fort Jackson was declared surplus in 1927 and was purchased by a New Orleans couple, they donated it to Plaquemines Parish in 1962 and it is still owned by the Parish. In 1960 Fort Jackson (2) and Fort St. Philip were designated National Historic Landmarks.

Current Status
The old fort was closed to the public after being damaged by Hurricane Katrina and Rita but reopened to the public in January 2011. No period guns or carriages in place.

See Also:
 * Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip

Sources:
 * , page 339-341
 * , page 179-196

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Jackson