History
The cemetery is located on the site which was the main battleground of the Siege of Port Hudson, during the American civil war. Nearly 4,000 Union troops fell during the fighting, and most were buried in the cemetery, many as unknowns. After the war another 8.4 acres (3.4 ha) was appropriated to inter those who died in the local veterans' facilities. The Confederate soldiers who died were primarily buried in the trenches where they fell. There is however, a Confederate Cemetery in the Port Hudson area that is currently inaccessible to the public.
The battlefield at Port Hudson is one of the only naturally preserved Civil War battlegrounds. The breastworks, gun pits, and trenches remain today almost as they were during the battle. The area has never been developed.
Port Hudson National Cemetery was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974 as part of the Port Hudson Historic Site.
Read more about this topic: Port Hudson National Cemetery
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