Mansfield, LA

Date(s): April 8, 1864

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Red River Campaign [1864]

Battles in Campaign:

• Fort De Russy, LA - March 14, 1864 B

• Mansfield, LA - April 8, 1864 A

• Pleasant Hill, LA - April 9, 1864 B

• Blair's Landing, LA - April 12-13, 1864 C¹

• Monett's Ferry, LA - April 23, 1864 D¹

• Mansura, LA - May 16, 1864 C¹

• Yellow Bayou, LA - May 18, 1864 C¹

Situation:

After the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson in July 1863, the Mississippi River was controlled by the Union.  President Lincoln and his staff decided that the next objectives in the Trans-Mississippi area should be the capture of Texas and the Confederate Trans-Mississippi headquarters at Shreveport, LA. The Red River was selected as the best approach to Texas.  A combined army-navy advance was planned with an army of 35,000 troops led by General N. P. Banks and naval support under the command of Flag Officer D. D. Porter.

The Union command believed that a successful Red River campaign would accomplish the following goals: 

• Confiscation of cotton for mills in New England
• Destruction of Confederate supply plants
• Prevent a French-Mexican army from joining forces with the Confederates
• Prevent supplies from Texas reaching Confederate troops
• Provide protection for Union loyalists in Texas and facilitate Texas rejoining the Union

The Union army and navy had progressed with little opposition on their route along the Red River to Alexandria and Natchitoches.  In early April 1864, the army veered away from Red River at Natchitoches and proceeded toward Shreveport via Mansfield.  This move left the army without naval support.  

Commanders:

• Union: Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks

• Confederate: Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor

Principal Forces:

• Union: Banks’ Red River Expeditionary Force

• Confederate: District of West Louisiana (two divisions)

Description:

• Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks' Red River Expedition had advanced about 150 miles up Red River.

• Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor, without any instructions from his commander, Gen. 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’ 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’ 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’ 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.

Photo Gallery:²

Mansfield State Historic Site	Confederates Achieve Vistory at Mansfield	Mansfield Battlefield Map	Texas Marker Outside of Visitor Center
Map showing openning phases of the Battle of Mansfield	Copy of Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics	Colt Model 1860 Revolver	0.69 Caliber Musket Ball Mold
Swords		Shells of the Red River Campaign	Shells of the Red River Campaign
Model of the U.S.S. Carondelet	Description of the U.S.S. Carondelet	Uniform of the New York Zoave Regiment
Officer's Tent	Officer's Tent		Entrance to General Mounton Trail
	General Mouton Trail	Polignac's Texas Infantry Brigade	Snake-fence line
		Site of the bloodiest fighting at Mansfield
	130th Illinois Infantry Regiment		Gray's Louisiana Infantry Brigade
48th Ohio Infantry Regiment	77th Illinois Infantry Regiment	Interpretive Field Encampment	Interpretive Field Encampment
Interpretive Field Encampment	Interpretive Field Encampment	Interpretive Field Encampment	Interpretive Field Encampment
Chicago (Mercantile) Battery and 1st Indiana Battery	Line of First Phase of Battle
2nd Massachusetts Light Artillery Battery	67th Indiana Infantry Regiment	6-Pounder Field Gun	6-Pounder Field Gun
3-inch Ordinance Rifle	3-inch Ordinance Rifle	Marker Honoring Major General Polignac	Marker Commemorating Park's Founding in 1924
	Marker indicating location of Federal Hospital

Classification³: A

Casualties⁴:

• Union: 2,900

• Confederate: 1,500

Results: Confederate Victory

Battlefield Website:

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 09/02/2008