Camp Moore

Camp Moore
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Nearest city	Tangipahoa, Louisiana
Coordinates
Area	450 acres (180 ha)
Built	1861
NRHP Reference #	79001092
Added to NRHP	August 21, 1979

Camp Moore, north of the Village of Tangipahoa near Kentwood, Louisiana, was a Confederate training base and principal base of operations in eastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi. The base was named for Louisiana Governor Thomas Overton Moore and operated from May 1861 to 1864 during the American Civil War. The location of the camp was chosen due to its relatively high ground elevation, abundance of fresh drinking water, and being adjacent to the then New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad line. A small portion of the camp remains, containing the Camp Moore Confederate Cemetery and Museum.

Overview

Lithograph of Camp Moore circa 1861

Among the thousands of troops who were organized and trained at Camp Moore were the regiments that later constituted the Louisiana Tigers. As many as 20,000 men from Louisiana were trained at Camp Moore before fighting in battles in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Troops from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas were trained at the base. Establishment of the camp was authorized directly from Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Many of the Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery died of various diseases. In the center of the cemetery stands a monument which was dedicated in 1907. The monument measures 22.5 feet (6.9 m) tall. On top of the monument is a statue of a Confederate private soldier that is 6 feet (1.8 m) tall.

The log house was built in 1929, as a chapter house for Chapter No. 562 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Next to the log house stands a monument to area Confederate soldiers dedicated in 1979.

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Graves at Camp Moore Confederate cemetery

Confederate soldier monument at Camp Moore

Built in 1965 and designated as a State Commemorative Area, the museum contains artifacts from the Civil War and regional history. In 1986, Governor Edwards closed the site, along with other commemorative areas across the State, during a State monetary crunch. Although still owned by Louisiana's State Lands Office, the site was reopened in June, 1993 by a private, non-profit entity, the Camp Moore Historical Association. The Association has a 97-year lease with the State of Louisiana.

The Camp Moore Museum, Memorial, and cemetery is located on US 51 approximately 8 miles (13 km) south of the Louisiana/Mississippi state line. The property comprises approximately 6.2 acres (25,000 m²). The Museum is open to the public for tours, Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, and closed on major holidays. An annual Civil War re-enactment occurs on the weekend before Thanksgiving each year. This two-day event, held on both Saturday and Sunday, features scripted battles, living history displays, and memorial ceremonies.

External links

• Camp Moore Confederate Cemetery and Museum - official site
• Listing of visible marked burials
• National Park Service Page