Battle of Stirling's Plantation
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Stirling's Plantation (also known as the Battle of Fordoche Bridge) was an American Civil War
battle took place on September 29, 1863 in Pointe Coupeé Parish, Louisiana.
Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks had been ordered to invade and “plant the Flag in Texas
”, which plans resulted in the Second Battle of Sabine Pass
on September 8, 1863. As a part of his overall plan, Herron’s division was to be transported to Morganza, Louisiana, below the mouth of the Red River. Both Brig. Gen. Tom Green's
cavalry and GeneralAlfred Mouton
’s small infantry division were operating on the upper Atchafalaya River
. Herron’s movement would distract the Confederates from the Texas Invasion, and hopefully prevent the Confederate forces from moving to Texas had the Sabine Pass effort been successful.
On September 5, Herron's division was dispatched up the Mississippi on transports and made a landing below Morganza on the 7th. On the 8th the entire force marched through Morganza, and down the Opelousas road, reaching the Atchafalaya in the late afternoon. The retired to the Fordoche and camped there for the night. The next day the Division marched to Morganza where they went into camp.
On September 11, Herron proposed to send a detachment back to the bridge over the Fordoche to monitor Confederate activitiy on the west bank of the Atchafalaya, and from Morganza in an attempt to draw out Green's cavalry from the west bank of the Atchafalaya. Lt. Col J.B. Leake of the 20th Iowa was to be in command. A small provisional brigade was formed consisting of the 19th Iowa under Maj. John Bruce, the 26th Indiana under Col A.D. Rose, a section of the 1st Mo. Light Artillery, and a battalion of the 6th Missouri Cavalry under Major Samuel Montgomery. To supplement the cavalry, a company of mounted infantry was created by drawing men from every regiment in the division and was led by Lt. Henry Walton of the 34th Iowa. The road from Morganza to the Fordoche crossing followed the east bank of Bayou Fordoche, running west to a pont about three miles from Morganza, then follwoing a turn in the bayou, ran south three and a half miles to a loop in the bayou by Norwood’s plantation. Just west of Norwoods, the Opelousas Road forked to the northwest, crossed the Fordoche, and ran on to the Atchafalaya across from present day Mellville, Louisiana.
Shortly after leaving Morganza, the force encountered Confederate pickets and skirmished with them throughout the day until they reached the Norwood plantation, about six miles from the Archafalaya, where they went into camp. The country was unknown and Leake had no adequate maps. Mouton saw Leake’s exposed position as an opportunity to destroy this force around Fordoche Bridge.
On the evening of the 15th Leake learned from a citizen and from Negroes that an attack was expected which resulted in his withdrawing north two miles to the Stirling plantation and establishing his camps there. This position, though better than Norwoods, still had defects due to the roads that gave the Confederates easy ability to move around the federal position.
A levee ran along the east side of the road by the Stirling plantation, and Leake had a gap cut in it north of the house so that artillery could be moved through it if necessary. Pickets were maintained constantly, but the force was so small that they were deemed to be inadequate, and the whole brigade was uneasy as to their position.
The Confederates were becoming increasingly visible, and were often observed in small groups between Stirlings and and Morganza. Although Herron was apprised of the rebels between him and Leake, he took no efforts to secure their rear. Herron was ill, and on the evening of the 28th turned over the command to General N.J.T. Dana, and left for New Orleans.
Mouton had realized the opportunity to gobble up this small force and on the 19th had ordered Green to plan an attack, with the final decision made on the 25th. Green's 3,000 troops were at Centerpoint on the Atchafalaya on the 28th and commenced crossing by ferry at 3:00 p.m. Wallers and Roundtree's cavalry battalions together with Semme's battery were crossed by dark. Next to cross were Speight's and Mouton's infantry brigades, and finally the 4th, 5th and 7th Texas Cavalry, the last crossing by 1:00 a.m. on the 29th. The weather was very rainy.
On the morning of the 29th Mouton's and Speight's brigades were sent by a trail through the woods and swamps that intersected the Opelousas road about two miles north of the Stirling plantation. Mouton was to remain in this position to block any relief force that might be sent from Morganza, and Speight’s brigade would launch the primary attack on Leakes right and rear.
The balance of the Confederate cavalry marched via the road toward the Fordoche Bridge near the Norwood house. Arriving there there around 11:00 a.m. and commenced skirmishing with the Federal cavalry pickets at the Fordoche bridge. After about a half hour, sounds of firing was heard to the north at the Stirling farm.
Just before noon, a shot was heard from the picket post north of camp at Stirling's, and then a number more shots were heard from the cane fields to the north and east of the house. Mouton had begun his attack. Leake ordered the artillery up the road and in position at the gap in the levee to fire across the cane fields. The 19th Iowa was ordered to a fence running east to west behind the house and commence firing. The 26th Indiana was then posted to the left of the 19th, facing west, and ordered to fire obliquely to the right.
For some reason, the artillery had not made it to the gap in the levee and were being moved by hand among the outbuildings behind the house, where they were totally useless.
Leake had available only 450 infantry, as so many were on picket. Both the 19th and 26th were pushed back from their position through the Stirling buildings, and took up a position on the levee, now facing east, with the levee serving as an excellent breastwork.
The Confederates were in overwhelming force, and initially attempted to turn the right of the 19th. The 26th was pulled out and placed on the 19ths right, with the 26th now facing south. Seeing the change in front, the Confederates now moved to their right and poured though the gap in the levee, attempting to turn the left flank of the 19th. The weather was hot and the men were spent. Leake had been shot in his foot, unhorsed and captured, and due to the confusion, no other officer assumed command.
Meanwhile the Confederate cavalry had completely routed the federal cavalry to the south near the Norwood farm. The Federal cavalry streamed away toward Morganza with such rapidity that none of them were captured. The routed cavalry passed to the east of the Stirling plantation and the fight raging there. Tthe infantry at Stirling's were so involved with their own fight that they were not aware of what had happened to to their cavalry. Most of Green’s cavalry were clothed in Union uniforms that has been captured at Brashear City three months before. With the flight of the Union Cavalry, Green advanced his column up the road from Norwoods to the Sterling plantation. The Infantry observed the advancing column and supposed them to be the 6th Missouri. Not until they were fired upon did the Union infantry realize that this was Green’s cavalry coming in on their other flank. Vastly outnumbered, leaderless, and assailed from all sides, the Federals surrendered piecemeal.
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...
battle took place on September 29, 1863 in Pointe Coupeé Parish, Louisiana.
Background
Following the siege of Vicksburg, Francis J. Herron’s Division of the Army of the Frontier was transferred down the Mississippi to become a part of the 13th Army Corps. Arriving at Port Hudson on July 25, they remained there until August 13, 1863 when they were moved to Carrolton, above New Orleans.Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks had been ordered to invade and “plant the Flag in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
”, which plans resulted in the Second Battle of Sabine Pass
Second Battle of Sabine Pass
The Second Battle of Sabine Pass took place on September 8, 1863, and was the result of a Union expedition into Confederate-controlled Texas during the American Civil War...
on September 8, 1863. As a part of his overall plan, Herron’s division was to be transported to Morganza, Louisiana, below the mouth of the Red River. Both Brig. Gen. Tom Green's
Thomas Green (general)
Thomas Green was a lawyer, politician, soldier and officer of the Republic of Texas, and rose to the rank of Brigadier General of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Tom Green County, Texas was named after him....
cavalry and GeneralAlfred 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...
’s small infantry division were operating on the upper Atchafalaya River
Atchafalaya River
The Atchafalaya River is a distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River....
. Herron’s movement would distract the Confederates from the Texas Invasion, and hopefully prevent the Confederate forces from moving to Texas had the Sabine Pass effort been successful.
On September 5, Herron's division was dispatched up the Mississippi on transports and made a landing below Morganza on the 7th. On the 8th the entire force marched through Morganza, and down the Opelousas road, reaching the Atchafalaya in the late afternoon. The retired to the Fordoche and camped there for the night. The next day the Division marched to Morganza where they went into camp.
On September 11, Herron proposed to send a detachment back to the bridge over the Fordoche to monitor Confederate activitiy on the west bank of the Atchafalaya, and from Morganza in an attempt to draw out Green's cavalry from the west bank of the Atchafalaya. Lt. Col J.B. Leake of the 20th Iowa was to be in command. A small provisional brigade was formed consisting of the 19th Iowa under Maj. John Bruce, the 26th Indiana under Col A.D. Rose, a section of the 1st Mo. Light Artillery, and a battalion of the 6th Missouri Cavalry under Major Samuel Montgomery. To supplement the cavalry, a company of mounted infantry was created by drawing men from every regiment in the division and was led by Lt. Henry Walton of the 34th Iowa. The road from Morganza to the Fordoche crossing followed the east bank of Bayou Fordoche, running west to a pont about three miles from Morganza, then follwoing a turn in the bayou, ran south three and a half miles to a loop in the bayou by Norwood’s plantation. Just west of Norwoods, the Opelousas Road forked to the northwest, crossed the Fordoche, and ran on to the Atchafalaya across from present day Mellville, Louisiana.
Shortly after leaving Morganza, the force encountered Confederate pickets and skirmished with them throughout the day until they reached the Norwood plantation, about six miles from the Archafalaya, where they went into camp. The country was unknown and Leake had no adequate maps. Mouton saw Leake’s exposed position as an opportunity to destroy this force around Fordoche Bridge.
Battle
Upon scouting the area on the 13th, Leake discovered that the position at Norwoods was not very tenable. There were several old roads and a half completed railbed in the vicinity that would make it easy for Confederates to move and get in his rear. Pickets and posts were set out and Leake requested to withdraw about a mile closer to the Stirling plantation, but this request was refused by Herron.On the evening of the 15th Leake learned from a citizen and from Negroes that an attack was expected which resulted in his withdrawing north two miles to the Stirling plantation and establishing his camps there. This position, though better than Norwoods, still had defects due to the roads that gave the Confederates easy ability to move around the federal position.
A levee ran along the east side of the road by the Stirling plantation, and Leake had a gap cut in it north of the house so that artillery could be moved through it if necessary. Pickets were maintained constantly, but the force was so small that they were deemed to be inadequate, and the whole brigade was uneasy as to their position.
The Confederates were becoming increasingly visible, and were often observed in small groups between Stirlings and and Morganza. Although Herron was apprised of the rebels between him and Leake, he took no efforts to secure their rear. Herron was ill, and on the evening of the 28th turned over the command to General N.J.T. Dana, and left for New Orleans.
Mouton had realized the opportunity to gobble up this small force and on the 19th had ordered Green to plan an attack, with the final decision made on the 25th. Green's 3,000 troops were at Centerpoint on the Atchafalaya on the 28th and commenced crossing by ferry at 3:00 p.m. Wallers and Roundtree's cavalry battalions together with Semme's battery were crossed by dark. Next to cross were Speight's and Mouton's infantry brigades, and finally the 4th, 5th and 7th Texas Cavalry, the last crossing by 1:00 a.m. on the 29th. The weather was very rainy.
On the morning of the 29th Mouton's and Speight's brigades were sent by a trail through the woods and swamps that intersected the Opelousas road about two miles north of the Stirling plantation. Mouton was to remain in this position to block any relief force that might be sent from Morganza, and Speight’s brigade would launch the primary attack on Leakes right and rear.
The balance of the Confederate cavalry marched via the road toward the Fordoche Bridge near the Norwood house. Arriving there there around 11:00 a.m. and commenced skirmishing with the Federal cavalry pickets at the Fordoche bridge. After about a half hour, sounds of firing was heard to the north at the Stirling farm.
Just before noon, a shot was heard from the picket post north of camp at Stirling's, and then a number more shots were heard from the cane fields to the north and east of the house. Mouton had begun his attack. Leake ordered the artillery up the road and in position at the gap in the levee to fire across the cane fields. The 19th Iowa was ordered to a fence running east to west behind the house and commence firing. The 26th Indiana was then posted to the left of the 19th, facing west, and ordered to fire obliquely to the right.
For some reason, the artillery had not made it to the gap in the levee and were being moved by hand among the outbuildings behind the house, where they were totally useless.
Leake had available only 450 infantry, as so many were on picket. Both the 19th and 26th were pushed back from their position through the Stirling buildings, and took up a position on the levee, now facing east, with the levee serving as an excellent breastwork.
The Confederates were in overwhelming force, and initially attempted to turn the right of the 19th. The 26th was pulled out and placed on the 19ths right, with the 26th now facing south. Seeing the change in front, the Confederates now moved to their right and poured though the gap in the levee, attempting to turn the left flank of the 19th. The weather was hot and the men were spent. Leake had been shot in his foot, unhorsed and captured, and due to the confusion, no other officer assumed command.
Meanwhile the Confederate cavalry had completely routed the federal cavalry to the south near the Norwood farm. The Federal cavalry streamed away toward Morganza with such rapidity that none of them were captured. The routed cavalry passed to the east of the Stirling plantation and the fight raging there. Tthe infantry at Stirling's were so involved with their own fight that they were not aware of what had happened to to their cavalry. Most of Green’s cavalry were clothed in Union uniforms that has been captured at Brashear City three months before. With the flight of the Union Cavalry, Green advanced his column up the road from Norwoods to the Sterling plantation. The Infantry observed the advancing column and supposed them to be the 6th Missouri. Not until they were fired upon did the Union infantry realize that this was Green’s cavalry coming in on their other flank. Vastly outnumbered, leaderless, and assailed from all sides, the Federals surrendered piecemeal.