The deadline arrives for Nathaniel P. Banks to return Federal troops on loan from William T. Sherman. But the situation becomes complicated because Banks fails to reach Shreveport and the Red River is falling dangerously low.
Tag: Nathaniel P. Banks
Red River: Porter Struggles to Withdraw
The lowering water level on the Red River becomes a serious concern for David D. Porter because it threatens to trap his massive naval squadron in hostile territory.
The Battle of Pleasant Hill
Nathaniel P. Banks’s Federals retreat to Pleasant Hill, where Richard Taylor’s Confederates track them down. Banks decides to make a stand as Taylor seeks to drive him out of western Louisiana.
The Battle of Mansfield
Nathaniel P. Banks’s Federals unexpectedly run into Confederates under Richard Taylor blocking their path to Shreveport, which results in heavy fighting in western Louisiana.
Red River: Federals Detour Toward Mansfield
Nathaniel P. Banks’s Federal Army of the Gulf veers away from the Red River to confront Richard Taylor’s Confederates. But the Confederates are much closer and in a much better position than Banks had expected.
Red River: Federals Advance from Natchitoches
Federal forces at Natchitoches, Louisiana, look to continue further up the Red River on the way to their ultimate goal of Shreveport and eastern Texas beyond.