Mansfield
Sabine Cross-Roads, Pleasant Grove
Civil War Louisiana


American Civil War
April 8, 1864

By this time, Major General Nathaniel P. Bank's Red River Expedition had advanced about 150 miles up Red River. Major General Richard Taylor, without any instructions from his commander, General E. Kirby Smith, decided that it was time to try and stem this Union drive. He established a defensive position just below Mansfield, near Sabine Cross-Roads, an important communications center.

On April 8, Banks's men approached, driving Confederate cavalry before them. For the rest of the morning, the Federals probed the Rebel lines. In late afternoon, Taylor, though outnumbered, decided to attack.

His men made a determined assault on both flanks, rolling up one and then another of Banks's divisions. Finally, about three miles from the original contact, a third Union division met Taylor's attack at 6:00 pm and halted it after more than an hour's fighting.

That night, Taylor unsuccessfully attempted to turn Banks's right flank. Banks withdrew but met Taylor again on the 9th at Pleasant Hill. Mansfield was the decisive battle of the Red River Campaign, influencing Banks to retreat back toward Alexandria.

Result(s): Confederate victory

Location: DeSoto Parish

Campaign: Red River Campaign (1864)

Date(s): April 8, 1864

Principal Commanders: Major General Nathaniel P. Banks [US]; Major General Richard Taylor [CS]

Forces Engaged: Banks's Red River Expeditionary Force [US]; District of West Louisiana (two divisions) [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 4,400 total (US 2,900; CS 1,500)


Red River Campaign: Politics and Cotton in the Civil War
Fought on the Red River throughout Central and Northwestern Louisiana, this campaign is a study in how partisan politics, economic need and personal profit determined military policy and operations in Louisiana and Arkansas during the spring of 1864.

Kindle Available
Civil War Firearms

Standard Catalog of
Civil War Firearms

Over 700 photographs and a rarity scale for each gun, this comprehensive guide to the thousands of weapons used by Billy Yank and Johnny Reb will be indispensable for historians and collectors.
Map Depicting Plantations on the Mississippi River from Natchez to New Orleans, 1858
Map Depicting Plantations on the Mississippi River
from Natchez to New Orleans, 1858

18 in. x 24 in.
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Framed   Mounted

Civil War soldier toys 102 pieces
Civil War Soldier 102 Piece Playset
 
  • 25 Union and 25 Confederate Soldier Figures, 18 Horses, 10 Cannon
  • 2 Covered Wagons, 2 Tents, 2 Canoes, 2 Flags, 16 Fences
  • Size: Figures Stand up to 2-1/8 inches tall
  • Scale: 1/32nd, Wagons and Horses slightly smaller
 
Louisiana State Battle Map
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Confederate Commanders
Civil War Summary
Civil War Submarines
Civil War Cooking
Kids Zone Gettysburg
Campaigns of the Civil War
American Civil War Exhibits
Civil War Timeline
Women in the War
Cavalry Sabre
Cavalry Saber


Civil War Replica Musket
Civil War Musket
Wood & Steel Frontier Rifle Designed After The Original Rifle

American Civil War Book Titles

Irish Rebels, Confederate Tigers: A History Of The 6th Louisiana Volunteers
A predominately Irish brigade from New Orleans. This regiment fought in Virginia during the entire Civil War, since New Orleans was captured so early in the war and the 6th Louisiana virtually became orphans in regards to State support.
Night the war was lost
The Night the War Was Lost
With the fall of the critical city of New Orleans in spring 1862 the South lost the Civil War, although fighting would continue for three more years. On the Mississippi River, below New Orleans, in the predawn of April 24, 1862, David Farragut with fourteen gunboats ran past two forts to capture the South's principal seaport.

In Camp and Battle With the Washington Artillery of New Orleans
Describes all major actions from the First Battle of Bull Run to the final surrender at Appomatox. A must read for all Civil War buffs. First published in 1885, Reissued in a limited edition that is an exact reproduction of the original, with a few additions
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When the Devil Came Down to Dixie: Ben Butler in New Orleans
Butler headed the federal occupation of New Orleans, where he quickly imposed order on a rebellious city. He also made out like a bandit, diverting an enormous amount of money into his personal coffers. High society scorned him for his infamous "Woman Order,"
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Mutiny at Fort Jackson: The Untold Story of the Fall of New Orleans
Soldiers primarily recruited from large German and Irish populations. The Confederacy had done nothing to encourage poor white men to feel they had a place of honor in the southern republic. The mutineers actively sought to help the Union cause. Benjamin "Beast" Butler enjoyed the support of many white Unionists in New Orleans

The Capture of New Orleans, 1862
On April 24, 1862, Federal gunboats made their way past two Confederate forts to ascend the Mississippi River, and the Union navy captured New Orleans. A hard look at the selection of military and naval leaders, the use of natural and financial resources, and the performances of all personnel involved. .
Tirailleurs
Tirailleurs: A History of The 4th Louisiana and The Acadians of Company H
Soldiers from West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. This book follows them through the Civil War and uses diaries, letters, and memoirs to allow the soldiers to tell their own story. From a bloodbath at Shiloh's Hornet's, Nest, to the Battle of Nashville.
Louisianians
Louisianians in the Civil War
The suffering endured by Louisianians during and after the war—hardships more severe than those suffered by the majority of residents in the Confederacy. The wealthiest southern state before the Civil War, Louisiana was the poorest by 1880

Civil War History Documentary DVD Movie Titles
       
       

Baton Rouge Louisiana City History and current weather

Sources:
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Library of Congress.