The “Big Easy” wasn’t!

I need to start out by saying our trip to the French Quarter of New Orleans fell through.. Long story short, we drove around and around and THROUGH it and never found a parking garage we could get our GMC to fit in…Needless to say, the air in the cab of that truck was blue…especially when we ended up on those narrow one way streets with the delivery trucks…Finally, I said the magic words “Just forget it, it isn’t worth the drama”, and we got the Heck outta Dodge. I only took 2 photos on our long drive down N. Rampart St. amidst road construction and heavy traffic…and long wait at a draw bridge…

Left is a “duplex” on N. Rampart St…and right photo is explains why windows were rolled up and doors locked on our drive…I rest my case.

HOWEVER….On our drive back through St. Bernard Parish, I just happened to spot a sign for Chalmette Battlefield as we passed it…TIME FOR A UEY, MACGUYVER!!! So, we did a fast U-turn and turned down the long lane to a wonderful surprise…the place where The Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815 against the British…WOOT! WOOT!…and there was a bonus involved..Just next to the battlefield was the Chalmette National Cemetery..NOW we’re talking my favorite thing..U.S. HISTORY! 

Here is an old mud rampart of the American lines..and right, is the restored Malus-Beauregard House, built originally in 1835.  There was a very nice visitor’s center with many wonderful exhibits..

Den loved looking at the old bayonets and muskets..There are 3 huge Live Oaks over 200 years old on property…You can also do a self driving tour of the battlefield with explanations of this great battle of the War of 1812. That levee just behind the house obviously wasn’t there in 1815.  This battle backed right up to the Mississippi River.

“The Battle of New Orleans lasted less than 2 hours, with the major fighting confined to about 20 minutes.  More than 2.000 British troops were dead, wounded, or taken prisoner; American casualties numbered fewer than 20. Within days, the British withdrew, ending the Louisiana campaign.”

After exploring everything we could there, we then drove out of the park, and took the next turn into the National Cemetery..

This is the entrance to the Chalmette National Cemetery.  “This cemetery was established in May 1864 as a final resting place for Union soldiers who died in Louisiana during the Civil War. The cemetery also contains the remains of veterans of the Spanish-American War, WW I and II, and Vietnam.  Four Americans who fought in the War of 1812 are buried here, but only one of them fought in the battle of New Orleans.”

 

That brick wall you see in the photo on the right, goes all the way around this cemetery, and was laid up in 1865….You KNOW I was channeling this history!

So, what turned out to be a bummer day, ended up as a real fine surprise…I would much rather visit this kind of historical site than fight the crowds on Bourbon Street to find a souvenier T-shirt!!  I need to add that there is a very big port here called St. Bernard Port, and also a Valero Refinery ..Den and I also got to stand up on that levee behind the battlefield and watch a paddle wheeler cruise by..

Yesterday, Dennis and I had another great adventure attending a the 40th annual Los Islenos Fiesta in St Bernard. St Bernard's roots date back to the 1700's when Canary Islanders came to this area in Louisiana. ..Food, music and dance! ! What a neat experience! But, I have taken enough of your time, so I will post that in my next blog…

Thanks for taking the tour with us!!