This biography highlights the life of civil war leader Andre Cailloux, his patriotism, and his heroism. Born in Louisiana, Cailloux was a mixed-race child who in his childhood years as a slave. Later, he would grow to become one of the leaders of the free black community of New Orleans. Cailloux became educated and literate at the Institute Catholique.

Cailloux later led the 1st Louisiana Native Guard (CSA). This was a Confederate militia in Louisiana formed by free persons of color where Cailloux served as a Lieutenant.

Quick Facts

Birth: August 25, 1825

Killed at: Port Hudson

Death: May 27, 1863 (Aged 37)

Burial: Saint Louis Cemetery Number 2(New Orleans, Orleans Paris, Louisiana, U.S.A

Widely known for : He was a member of the union army (the North). This Union army fought to preserve the United States as a working and progressive republic.

Early Life
Cailloux spent much of his life around New Orleans. During his early years, he got involved in the cigar- making trade. New Orleans during this period was home to people of African and European Creole descent. Cailloux married Félicie Coulon in 1847 and adopter her son. His wife was a free Creole of color. In their life together, the couple had four children. Unfortunately, one did not survive to adulthood.

Cailloux established himself in business and later opened his own cigar manufacturing business. He also became an iconic boxer in his city and supported a school for orphaned black children known as the Institute Catholique.

Serving in the Army
The American Civil War broke out in 1861 and continued until 1865. Cailloux was a notable figure in it. This war was between the South and the North of the United States. The Union Army fought the Confederate States Army. Union Army wanted the constitution upheld so that slavery was abolished. On the other side, the Confederate States Army wanted slavery to continue as slavery was the only reason for the south’s thriving economy.

Nathaniel Prentice Banks was a general of the Union Army during the American civil war. In fact, he was the one that commanded the troops led by Cailloux to Port Hudson. The Union Army mainly comprised of the 1st and the 3rd Louisiana Native Guards at the time. The soldiers launched repeated attacks on Confederate strongholds.

Cailloux was put in charge of a troop of 100 assigned to launch attacks at Port Hudson a testament to his remarkable leadership skills. They did a commendable job fighting the Confederate troops at Port Hudson. It was one such attack that resulted in large numbers of causalities for his troops, but he never gave up. He encouraged other soldiers to continue fighting and even though he was deeply wounded, he continued to fight on an on.

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Cailloux was ultimately killed in the field by a Confederate artillery shell. The legend of his bravery was retold for countless years to inspire other soldiers to fight on.
Cailloux and many other war causalities were laid to rest in New Orleans. The burial was a long procession and people attended it in large numbers to honor the heroic acts of Cailloux and others that lost their lives at Port Hudson.