Jackson Square:
Walk across Decatur Street and go into Jackson Square, an area that has always been a public square since the founding of the city in 1718. It was originally named the Place d'Arms. It was renamed when the statue of Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 was placed there during a renovation in the 1850's. The inscription on the statue was added by General Benjamin Butler, the Union General who was over New Orleans during the Civil War to spite the citizens of New Orleans. During that period, the women of New Orleans crossed the street to avoid passing a Union soldier as a protest of Union occupation. Gen. Butler was not amused. He announced that he would prosecute any woman who did so as a prostitute. After that the women of New Orleans passed by Union soldiers on the street, but began putting pictures of Gen. Butler in the bottom of their chamber pots.
