This area forms a terrace about 65 to 80 feet (20 to 24 m) above the creeks, with twisting and steep terrain that made for a natural defensive position, and is where Union Army forces were dug in.

[5] Port Hudson National Cemetery, where many dead of the siege were buried, is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) to the south, in East Baton Rouge Parish.

General Banks gave orders to two units composed entirely of African Americans, the 1st and 3rd Louisiana Native Guards, to attack the Confederate positions south of Foster Creek on the morning of May 27.

The units that fought against this position suffered 37 killed, 155 wounded, and 116 missing (out of just over 1,000 men deployed), and remained in the field until ordered to retreat at 4:00 pm.

A group of Civil War reenactors and a modern military honor guard escorted a gun carrier, which bore a wooden coffin containing the sparse remains of victims of both sides.

The remains were found during an archaeological study began in 1987 to authenticate if graves of soldiers existed at the historic Port Hudson cemetery.