Civil War Baton Rouge, Port Hudson and Bayou Sara

Capturing the Mississippi

Dennis J. Dufrene

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9781609493516
• eBook ISBN:
  9781614233596
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

When Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861, no one doubted that a battle to control the Mississippi River was imminent. Throughout the war, the Federals pushed their way up the river. Every port and city seemed to fall against the force of the Union navy. The capital was forced to retreat from Baton Rouge to Shreveport. Many of the smaller towns, like Bayou Sara and Donaldsonville, were nearly shelled completely off the map. It was not until the Union reached Port Hudson that the Confederates had a fighting chance to keep control of the mighty Mississippi. They fought long and hard, undersupplied and undermanned, but ultimately the Union prevailed. With interest in the Civil War at an all-time high, please consider a review or a feature story with Dennis J. Dufrene.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1. Louisiana Secedes
• 2. The Union Plan for the Mississippi River
• 3. The Union Blockade
• 4. The Battle of Head of Passes
• 5. Forts Jackson and St. Philip
• 6. The Fall of New Orleans and the Scuttling of the USS Barataria
• 7. Baton Rouge’s First Brush with Blue and Troops on the Move
• 8. Skirmish on the Amite River and First Battle of Donaldsonville
• 9. The Rebels Plan to Take Back Baton Rouge and the Federals Dig in Their Heels
• 10. Breckinridge’s March
• 11. The Confederates Open the Ball in Baton Rouge
• 12. The Fall of the CSS Arkansas
• 13. Bayou Sara
• 14. The USS Essex Arrives at Port Hudson
• 15. The Battle of Labadieville
• 16. A Union Soldier’s Masonic Burial in Bayou Sara
• 17. Siege of Port Hudson
• 18. The Battle of Plains Store
• 19. The Battle at Jackson Crossroads
• 20. The Second Battle of Donaldsonville
• 21. The Skirmish at Springfield Landing
• 22. The Confederate Surrender of Port Hudson
• 23. The Battle of Kock’s Plantation
• 24. The Corps D’Afrique and the Battle at Centenary College
• 25. Spring 1863
• 26. The Yankees Go West
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• About the Author