Fort Quitman (2)

 (1861-1862) - A small Confederate U.S. Civil War Fort established in 1861 on Grand Caillou Bayou, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. First named Fort Butler and renamed Fort Quitman after John A. Quitman, former Governor of Louisiana. Captured by Union forces in May 1862 after the fall of New Orleans in April 1862. Abandoned later in 1862.

History of Fort Quitman
A small Confederate earthworks fort established in 1861 on Bayou Grand Caillou "a few acres below the intersection of Bayou La Butte...." The fortification was placed to prevent a Union advance on New Orleans through the bayou. The fort was reportedly armed with two smoothbore 32 pounder cannons and garrisoned with a small company of 12 month volunteers. A return from Confederate Department No. 1 for January 1862 shows 5 officers and 137 men present for duty at Fort Quitman. No artillery, either heavy or field is shown at the fort.

Sources differ about the naming sequence with most indicating that it was first named Fort Butler and later Fort Quitman and that appears to be the case. The naming is further complicated by another Union Fort Butler (5) in Louisiana. Confederate Major General Mansfield Lovell, refers to the fort as Fort Quitman in a January 1862 return and in a 19 Jun 1862 report.

This fort was abandoned on 27 April 1862 by order of Confederate Major General Mansfield Lovell after the capture of New Orleans. The guns were spiked and the powder thrown into the bayou. The garrison was ordered to report to Camp Moore but they mutinied, disbanded and left for New Orleans.

Current Status
Actual site location is unknown and the map point is for Bayou Grand Caillou to give a general reference point.

Sources: Links:
 * , page 349.
 * Peña, Christopher G., Scarred by War: Civil War in Southeast Louisiana, Author House, Bloomington, Indiana, 2004, ISBN 1-4184-5544-X (e), 515 pages.
 * Bill Thayer's Website - History of New Orleans by John Kendall, Chapter 6, page 270.
 * The War of the Rebellion - Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, U.S. House of Representatives, 1882, Series I - Volume VI, (Google Books), Chap. XVI, page 656.
 * North American Forts - Fort Quitman