ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

1st Louisiana Native Guard (United States)

The 1st Louisiana Native Guard was a group of soldiers who fought for the United States during the American Civil War. They were called "Native Guard" because they were made up of people who were born and lived in Louisiana, which is a state in the United States.

Before the war, Louisiana was part of the Confederate States of America, a group of southern states that wanted to separate from the United States. Many people in Louisiana were enslaved, which means they were forced to work for free and didn't have the same rights as other people.

But even though they were treated unfairly, some people in Louisiana still wanted to fight for the United States and help end slavery. That's why they formed the 1st Louisiana Native Guard.

The Native Guard was made up of black soldiers and white officers. This was unusual at the time because most black soldiers were not allowed to have white officers. But the Native Guard proved to be very brave and fought well in battles.

They fought in a famous battle called the Battle of Port Hudson. This battle was important because it helped the United States gain control of the Mississippi River, which was a very important waterway.

Even though they were brave fighters, the Native Guard faced a lot of discrimination and weren't always treated fairly. But they continued to fight for what they believed in and helped make a difference in the fight against slavery.