The Mystery Deepens

I cannot say enough about Vonnie and Horse Soldiers Research. She was able to unearth a Pension request from HCR’s father. He claimed that Harry was his sole source of income as he was an invalid and over 70 years old. In the pension request are letters from the doctors that treated Harry before his suicide and even an officer that was his good friend who describes a conversation the night before and the events of the morning of his suicide.

I have also determined that HCR was stationed at Jackson Barracks NOT at Fort Jackson.

According to Global Security:

“Down river from the French Quarter, Jackson Barracks houses the Louisiana National Guard Headquarters. This series of fine brick buildings with white columns were built in 1834-35 for troops who were stationed at the river forts. Reportedly Andrew Jackson planned the barracks to be as secure against attack from the city as from outside forces.
Maps prepared in the mid-1800s show that the area's first development began in the 1820s. The Ursuline Nuns developed an 80-acre parcel for their convent in 1826. Sugar was a dominant crop, and the Louisiana Sugar Refinery, dated 1831, is shown along with several plantations.

The complex known as Jackson Barracks is one of the earliest and most noteworthy institutions in the area. The U.S. government began assembling land in 1833 to provide a central garrison, medical and supply point for troops sent to several coastal forts built after the War of 1812. Although only one block wide at the river, the Barracks stretch 25 blocks lakeward, with only three streets crossing the complex-Dauphine, St. Claude and N. Claiborne.

Jackson Barracks Military Museum is in the old powder magazine and in a new annex. It holds artifacts dating back to the War of 1812, and it includes items from as recently as the Gulf War. The 2000 NRA Shooting Sports Camp and Coaches School was held at Jackson Barracks June 28 – July 2, 2000”

Katrina did significant damage to the Barracks and some buildings had to be razed. I will be contacting them tomorrow to see if I can gain admittance. I wonder what buildings are left from the 1860s?

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/jackson-barracks.htm

June 2007 from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JacksonBarracks7June07B.jpg