CHALMETTE NATIONAL CEMETERY

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 In March 2021 we had to opportunity to revisit the city of New Orleans. Our first trip there was in the summer of 1986 during one of my guard camps with the Tennessee Air National Guard. At that time we visited the zoo and skirted past Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. My wife and sister-in-law have never forgiven me for not going down Bourbon Street but we had a bunch of small impressionable children with us, which included our own children, that I didn't think should be taking a stroll down Bourbon Street. On this trip we had our daughters, who are adults now, and we finally got to see Bourbon Street. My 11 year old grandson Russell was with us but he is pretty level headed for his age. Like me, he wasn't impressed. We were there before lunch and I don't think that I have ever seen that many drunk people so early in the day. 


Another goal of mine this time was to see the site of the Battle of New Orleans. The Chalmette National Cemetery sits on land that was part of battlefield and is area where the British artillery was located. It was established in 1864, which makes it one of the oldest national cemeteries in the U.S.. Most national cemeteries were formed just after the Civil War. The first burials were of Union soldiers who died in Louisiana during the Civil War including U.S.C.T. or United States Colored Troops. Many of the famous Buffalo soldiers are also buried here. Today there are over 14,000 burials of soldiers from every war from the Spanish American War, WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. There are even four War of 1812 soldiers buried there but only one fought at the Battle of New Orleans. It is a very peaceful and beautiful cemetery with numerous old oak trees scattered throughout the cemetery which adds tremendously to the charm of the cemetery. Some of these trees may be witness trees, meaning trees that were there during the battle. 










The cemetery entrance


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