Sites in and around New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS
Battle Abbey- Located behind the Cabildo, the building was used by General Benjamin F. Butler during the war. It now houses Civil War memorabilia. (504/568-5661)
Beauregard Houses and Monuments- General P.G.T. Beauregard lived at the house on 1113 Chartes Street. (504/523-7257)
The Cabildo- This part of the Louisiana State Museum houses a Civil War exhibit. (504/568-6968)
Congo Square- It was an important site in New Orleans' antebellum slave culture. Today, it is partly encompassed by Armstrong Park. (504/565-7470)
Christ Church Cathedral- The burial place of "The Fighting Bishop" Leonidas Polk. (504/895-6602)
Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe- Father Francis Isidore Turgis, soldier and priest during the Civil War, ministered here after the war. (504/525-1551)
Forsyth House- Jefferson Davis died here in 1889 while visiting Louisiana. (Private)
Jackson Barracks- Served as one of the first Confederate posts at the time of secession; later it was garrisoned by Union forces. (504/278-6242)
Jackson Square- Upon occupying New Orleans in 1862, General Butler inscribed "The Union Must and Shall Be Preserved" on the base of the Andrew Jackson statue. (504/278-6242)
Metairie Cemetery- This is the final resting place of General P.G.T. Beauregard, family tomb of General Richard Taylor and of Reconstructionist Louisiana governor, P.B.S. Pinchback, the only black governor of any state until recent times. Important monuments include Louisiana Division of the Army of Tennessee, Louisiana Division of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Washington Artillery Unit. (504/486-6331)
New Orleans Public Library- The library boasts an impressive Civil War collection. (504/596-2550)
Slidell House- A New Yorker by birth, John Slidell was a formidable Louisiana politician before the Civil War and diplomat for the Confederacy. (Private)
Trinity Church- A stained-glass memorial behind the altar honors "The Fighting Bishop" Leonidas Polk, who served here before the war. In 1861 he enlisted in the army, and he was killed in 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign. (504/522-0276)
Confederate Memorial Hall- Louisiana's oldest museum has an outstanding collection of Civil War flags, uniforms, weapons, medical instruments, currency, and personal effects of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee among other southern leaders. (504/523-4522)
Old U.S. Mint- operated from 1839 to 1909, the mint produced $5 million in coins monthly at its peak. It is now part of the Louisiana State Museum. (504/568-6968)
Harmann-Grima Historic House- Build in 1831, this Georgian mansion has slave quarters, stables and a courtyard. It features an authentically restored garden and interior. The detached kitchen dating from the 1830's is the scene for period cooking demonstrations given on a seasonal schedule. (504/589-6731)
Customs House- This imposing Egyptian Revival Style structure was built in 1848. The engineer in charge, P.G.T. Beauregard, became a famous Confederate General. During the Union occupation of New Orleans, the Customs House served as a headquarters for General Butler and as a prison for Confederate officers. (504/589-6731)
RESERVE
The French Creole Godchaux-Reserve Plantation House- Built in several stages, this home attained its present appearance c. 1850. In the 1820s, it was owned by the brothers Francois and Elisee Rillieux, who were part of Louisiana's large "free people of color" population. (504/764-9315)
BELLE CHASSE
Belle Chasse is the site of the home of Judah P. Benjamin, secretary of state and of war and attorney general for the Confederacy. It can be found at the south end of the town.
CHALMETTE
René Beauregard House/ Malus in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve, Chalmette Battlefield- Built in the 1830s, the home once belonged to Judge René Beauregard, son of Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard. The house rests on the grounds of the Battle of New Orleans and the gallery offers and impressive view of the battlefield and the adjacent Chalmette National Cemetery. (504/589-4428)
Chalmette National Cemetery- On this site Confederate soldiers tried unsuccessfully to stop Farragut from continuing upriver in 1862. More than 14,000 Union soldiers are buried in the cemetery. (504/589-3882)
RETURN to Louisiana Civil War Page
RETURN to Louisiana Office of Tourism Page