Fort DeRussy (Louisiana)

Fort DeRussy, located four miles (6 km) north of Marksville, Louisiana, was a Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War defending the lower Red River Valley in Louisiana.

The fort was named for Colonel Lewis G. DeRussy, the oldest West Point graduate to serve in the Confederate Army. DeRussy, a prominent engineer in civilian life, was the engineering officer in charge of the construction of the first fortifications at the fort. The remains of the Colonel were exhumed from an abandoned grave and reinterred on the grounds of the fort on September 26, 1999.

Battles
A portion of Rear Admiral David D. Porter's Mississippi Squadron captured the fort on May 5, 1863 and destroyed on May 9, 1863 by the USS Benton. The fort yielded to the Union Army, led by General A. J. Smith, on March 14, 1864.

Preservation
The property was donated to the City of Marksville in order to receive a $75,000 grant from the State of Louisiana to improve the site so that it could be accepted by the State Parks system, with Friends of Fort DeRussy in charge of spending the money for the city. A grant of $150,000 was received from the Red River Waterway Commission to purchase an additional 53 acre, and 11 more acres were donated by the City of Marksville, at which time the state agreed to accept the donation of the fort and adjoining 70 acre.