Battle of Bay St. Louis Discussed by Historical Society

Many people don’t realize that the Gulf Coast was the site of a famous naval battle nearly 200 years ago. It’s known as the Battle of Bay St. Louis and it was an important action in the War of 1812, when the Americans fought the British.

According to local historians, the battle was the last naval battle against a foreign power in American waters, and while the Americans lost in Bay St. Louis, the battle contributed to the American victory at the famous Battle of New Orleans just a few days later. Tuesday, the Hancock County Historical Society discussed the event in their regular meeting.

Charles Gray, Executive Director of the Hancock Co. Historical Society, says, “It is our history, it is our culture, and it made us who we are today. We would be a totally different people if it had a different outcome.”

The official 200th anniversary of the battle will be on December 13th.