In 1863 Port Hudson was the site of the longest siege in American history. 7500 Confederate troops held out against 40000 Union troops for 48 days, inflicting almost 4000 casualties to their less than 400.

Port Hudson was the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. After the fall of Vicksburg, holding out was useless.

Today, the state of Louisiana owns almost 900 acres of the site of the northern front of the battle. In the nearby Port Hudson National Cemetery almost 4000 Civil War veterans are buried, fellow combatants, side by side.

For more information, see http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/louisiana/por.htm