US ResearchConflictsCivil WarExpedition to Fort De Russy
Civil War

Expedition to Fort De Russy

1864
Louisiana
Era
Civil War
Year
1864
Location
Louisiana
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Confederate: Forces under General Richard Taylor defending Fort DeRussy; specific troop strength unknown.
VS
Victor
Union
Forces
Union: General A.J. Smith's XVI and XVII Army Corps detachments of the Army of the Tennessee under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, with Rear Admiral David D. Porter commanding naval support; Brigadier General Joseph Mower participated in the engagement.
Outcome
Union forces under Generals A.J. Smith and Joseph Mower surprised and captured Fort DeRussy on March 14, taking over 300 prisoners and the enemy's only heavy guns. The Confederate forces under General Richard Taylor were forced to retreat, leaving south and central Louisiana under Union control.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Fort DeRussy was the first engagement in the Red River Campaign of March–May 1864 in the American Civil War.

Duration
Single day engagement (March 14, 1864)
Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Expedition to Fort De Russy take place?
Expedition to Fort De Russy took place in 1864. Single day engagement (March 14, 1864).
Where was Expedition to Fort De Russy fought?
Expedition to Fort De Russy was fought in Louisiana, United States.
What was the outcome of Expedition to Fort De Russy?
Union forces under Generals A.J. Smith and Joseph Mower surprised and captured Fort DeRussy on March 14, taking over 300 prisoners and the enemy's only heavy guns. The Confederate forces under General Richard Taylor were forced to retreat, leaving south and central Louisiana under Union control.
What was the significance of Expedition to Fort De Russy?
The Battle of Fort DeRussy was the first engagement in the Red River Campaign of March–May 1864 in the American Civil War.
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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