| The military submarine USS LOUISIANA (SSBN 743) is | | | | The second ship named LOUISIANA, a side wheel |
| the 4th United States Naval vessel to be named in | | | | steamship, was commissioned in August of 1861. It |
| honor of the 18th state admitted to the union, and is the | | | | was originally posted to the Union's North Atlantic |
| 18th and last of the Trident Submarines to be | | | | Blockading Squadron, and the LOUISIANA operated |
| commissioned into the United States Navy. | | | | along the Coast of Virginia against Confederate |
| The first ship named LOUISIANA, a sloop built in the | | | | blockades. The steamship LOUISIANA was integral in |
| shipyards of New Orleans in 1812, played a key role in | | | | the defense of Washington, D.C. in Dec. of 1862, |
| the defense of the city of New Orleans during the | | | | where Maj. Gen. John J. Foster noted in his cruise |
| War of 1812. From Dec. 23, 1814 to Jan. 8, 1815, the | | | | journal that LOUISIANA "had rendered most efficient |
| sloop ship LOUISIANA pounded the advancing | | | | aid, throwing their shells with great precision, and |
| redcoats, providing essential naval gunfire for General | | | | clearing the streets, through which her guns had range." |
| Jackson's troops. When the British troops advanced | | | | The ship was later was involved in many |
| far up river and beyond the range of the very | | | | engagements off the coast and in the rivers of the |
| effective cannon fire of the sloop LOUISIANA, the | | | | State of North Carolina. The second LOUISIANA was |
| ship's crew did not let the reduction of wind slow down | | | | sacrificed to the sea on Christmas Eve, 1864, when |
| their support of their fellow countrymen. Crew | | | | she was towed, stripped of essentials, and packed |
| members went ashore with long mooring lines and | | | | with explosives, to the base of Ft. Fisher in Wilmington, |
| pulled their sloop up the river against the currents of | | | | North Carolina, and detonated in an effort to |
| the raging Mississippi to re-engage the enemy. The | | | | completely destroy the fort without much loss of life. |
| LOUISIANA was credited with playing a key role in the | | | | The huge explosion had little effect, and it required |
| victory over the British and keeping the valuable | | | | Union forces many more weeks to capture this |
| seaport of New Orleans in American control. | | | | essential Confederate stronghold. |