Battle of Georgia Landing
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Georgia Landing (or Labadieville or Texana) was fought October 27, 1862, in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
, as part of the Operations in LaFourche District (1862), during the American Civil War
.
Benjamin F. Butler
, commanding Union forces
in the Department of the Gulf, launched an expedition into the Bayou Lafourche
region to eliminate the Confederate
threat from that area, to make sure that sugar and cotton products from there would come into Union hands and to secure it as a base for future military operations. He organized a brigade
of about 4,000 men under the command of his protégé Brig. Gen.
Godfrey Weitzel
to accomplish the missions.
The Confederate force consisted of the 18th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Crescent Regiment, Ralston's Battery, Detachment of Cavalry, 33rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Terre Bonne Regiment Louisiana Militia, Semmes's Battery, and 2nd Louisiana Cavalry Regiment (approx. 1,392 men).
, where the Lafourche meets the Mississippi River
, and began an advance up the east bank of the bayou. The Confederates, under the command of Brig. Gen. Alfred Mouton
attempted to concentrate to meet the threat. By October 27, the Confederates had occupied a position on the bayou above Labadieville
. A little more than half the force was on the east bank while the rest of the men were on the west bank near Georgia Landing, generally without means of concentrating on one side or the other.
As the Federal troops continued down the east bank, they encountered the Confederates at about 11:00 a.m. and began skirmishing. The Confederates fell back quickly. Weitzel then began crossing his men to the west bank to attack the troops there. For some time, these Confederate troops fought resolutely and brought the Union assault to a standstill, but they ran out of artillery
ammunition and had to withdraw to Labadieville, opening up this portion of the Lafourche to the Union.
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The parish seat is Thibodaux...
, as part of the Operations in LaFourche District (1862), during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Background
Maj. Gen.Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Benjamin F. Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
, commanding Union forces
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
in the Department of the Gulf, launched an expedition into the Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche, originally called Chetimachas River, is a bayou in southeastern Louisiana, United States, that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The first settlements of Acadians in southern Louisiana were near Bayou Lafourche and Bayou des Écores, which led to a close association of the bayou with...
region to eliminate the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
threat from that area, to make sure that sugar and cotton products from there would come into Union hands and to secure it as a base for future military operations. He organized a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of about 4,000 men under the command of his protégé Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Godfrey Weitzel
Godfrey Weitzel
Godfrey Weitzel was a major general in the Union army during the American Civil War, as well as the acting Mayor of New Orleans during the Federal occupancy of the city.-Early life and career:...
to accomplish the missions.
Order of battle
The Union force consisted of the Reserve Brigade of the Department of the Gulf, 8th New Hampshire Infantry, 75th New York, and 13th Connecticut.The Confederate force consisted of the 18th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Crescent Regiment, Ralston's Battery, Detachment of Cavalry, 33rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Terre Bonne Regiment Louisiana Militia, Semmes's Battery, and 2nd Louisiana Cavalry Regiment (approx. 1,392 men).
Battle
On October 25, Weitzel and his men arrived at DonaldsonvilleDonaldsonville, Louisiana
Donaldsonville is a city in and the parish seat of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Acadians began to settle in the area in...
, where the Lafourche meets the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and began an advance up the east bank of the bayou. The Confederates, under the command of Brig. Gen. Alfred Mouton
Alfred Mouton
Jean-Jacques-Alfred-Alexandre "Alfred" Mouton was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He was born in Opelousas, Louisiana, and spent most of his life in Lafayette. Beloved by those under his command, Mouton was a strict drillmaster and disciplinarian who simultaneously freely...
attempted to concentrate to meet the threat. By October 27, the Confederates had occupied a position on the bayou above Labadieville
Labadieville, Louisiana
Labadieville is a census-designated place in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,811 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pierre Part Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. A little more than half the force was on the east bank while the rest of the men were on the west bank near Georgia Landing, generally without means of concentrating on one side or the other.
As the Federal troops continued down the east bank, they encountered the Confederates at about 11:00 a.m. and began skirmishing. The Confederates fell back quickly. Weitzel then began crossing his men to the west bank to attack the troops there. For some time, these Confederate troops fought resolutely and brought the Union assault to a standstill, but they ran out of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
ammunition and had to withdraw to Labadieville, opening up this portion of the Lafourche to the Union.