Tag: port hudson

Springfield Landing Following the second failed attempt at storming the works at Port Hudson activity returned to tedious siege operations. On the Confederate side the supply situation began to get desperate. The food supplies began to run short and fresh water was difficult get. Coupled with the developing sense of the hopelessness of their situation […]

June 11th – Night Action By June 11th the tedious siege work had established the siege batteries and gained enough ground to justify another test of the Confederate line. Accordingly, Banks ordered a rare night attack by his skirmishers all along the line. Banks established some fairly lofty goals as the purpose for the action. […]

The First Assault – May 27th (Afternoon) Concerned about the lack of activity in the other sectors of the line Banks approached MG Augur. Augur argued that his men were prepared but that no word had been had from Sherman to coordinate their actions. Banks rode to Sherman’s headquarters and found him having lunch with […]

Pursuit and Destruction Having failed to capture or destroy Taylor’s small army at Fort Bisland and Irish Bend Banks had to content himself with taking up the pursuit and secondary objectives. A vigorous rear guard action by Colonel Thomas Green “keeping almost within gunshot distance of the enemy’s advance” successfully retarded the Federal chase until […]

Irish Bend I As they landed Grover’s forces easily pushed back the 2nd Louisiana Cavalry skirmishers and marched toward Franklin. The possibility of having his escape route close Taylor had no choice but to weaken his already inadequate force. The 4th Texas Cavalry and two 6lb guns from the St. Mary’s Cannoneers covered the nineteen […]

Fort Bisland II The Federal advance continued on the 12th. When Banks learned that Grover was on the move he ordered a harder push against the cavalry skirmishers. Weitzel’s brigade with Ingraham’s (1st) brigade of Emory’s division on his right advanced toward the fort. The lead elements of Weitzel’s brigade arrived before Fort Bisland at […]

Into the Teche With the preliminary operations out of the way Banks set the main thrust of his offensive into motion. Banks was working under an increased sense of urgency because of the expiring enlistments of the bulk of his available troops. The overall objective of the proposed campaign was a drive on Alexandria in […]