I Will Fight No More

I WILL FIGHT NO MORE

The American Civil War: Book Four

MARK RAYMOND

CORRIGAN

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SMASHWORDS EDITION

I WILL FIGHT NO MORE

The American Civil War – Book Four

Copyright© 2017 Mark R Corrigan

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Dedicated to the memory of all those who fought and died in the American Civil War believing they were fighting for a just cause.

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I Will Fight No More

Confederate Colonel Michael Patrick O’Neil, who became Union Colonel James J Stockton and a spy in President Lincoln’s White House, continues to try to help the South through insurmountable odds to win its independence from the Federal Government. When O’Neil realizes that he can no longer help the South by remaining in the White House, he stages Stockton’s death to take a Command in the Confederate Army.

I Will Fight No More covers the American Civil War in 1864 to April 9, 1865. Those historic words were spoken by General Lee when he realizes he has no choice but to surrender the Confederate Army at Appomattox, Virginia. He therefore sought the terms of surrender from Union General Grant.

I Will Fight No More is the last book in a four-book series which takes in the thoughts and beliefs of the people, and political events that produced a nation so divided that it made the American Civil War inevitable. The Author has studied the Civil War since he was 10 years old. He attempts to answer the questions of why in 1861 the South felt they had no choice but to seek their independence just as the original 13 Colonies’ of the United States sought their independence from England in 1776.

The Author uses actual historical events to establish the timeline in his stories while adding insights to the feelings of the people caught in the greatest test for the survival of the United States of America. The Author’s Books are one of the few sources to understanding the real conditions in the North and the South and the political forces that tested the metal of the soldiers, who fought in the American Civil War. When we attempt to change History for current political reasons, we are denying the truths that made us who we are.

Chapter One:

A REVIEW OF THE PAST

Confederate Colonel Michael Patrick O’Neil as his look alike the Union Colonel James S. Stockton in Lincoln’s Whitehouse had survived another year to help the South win this war. However, Colonel O’Neil’s survival was in constant danger of being exposed as an impostor and as a Confederate Spy. The primary threat came from the Union’s Highest Investigator, Allen Pinkerton, who had tried unsuccessfully to prove he was a Confederate Agent in the Whitehouse.

When those efforts had failed, Pinkerton had his Agents follow Colonel Stockton, every time he left the Whitehouse to attend to the Stockton family’s businesses and investments in New York and Baltimore. Pinkerton was frustrated by the lack of any evidence that Colonel Stockton was involved in subversive activities and Pinkerton’s Agents could only report that Colonel Stockton went where he said he was going. Yet Pinkerton just knew Colonel Stockton had done something to avoid his Agents when they were following him. This only made Pinkerton try harder and he assigned two of his best Agents to follow Colonel Stockton.

When Pinkerton’s deep cover Agent Frank O’Mara followed Colonel Stockton, he would learn that Colonel Stockton got off the Train at the first Railroad Station outside of Washington. Frank O’Mara reported Colonel Stockton had attended a political fund-raising dinner in Hyattsville while Pinkerton’s other, Agent reported following Colonel Stockton to New York.

Pinkerton did not believe Colonel Stockton needed to use a double to attend General McClellan’s fundraiser and he had been right about Colonel Stockton all along. He had his Agents in the South dig into vague rumors about a Southern Agent being in a sensitive position in the Union Army. What Pinkerton did not expect was the information that someone who looked like Colonel Stockton’s photograph had married a woman named Sally Stark in Fredericksburg after the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg.

It took a while for Pinkerton’s Agents to find out Sally Stark had lived on a farm in King George County just across the Potomac River at Matthias Point but no one in the county knew where Sally Stark had gone. Even if Colonel Stockton had married Sally Stark, it did not mean he was the Confederate Agent but the fact Colonel Stockton had kept his marriage a secret could make him a prime suspect as the Southern Agent Pinkerton was looking for.

Pinkerton spent a considerable amount of time looking for Colonel Stockton’s wife in Washington. The Pinkerton Agents who followed Colonel Stockton had reported that he only went to Mrs Maytree’s place when he left the Whitehouse and Sally was not living there. If Pinkerton could not find Colonel Stockton’s wife in Washington, she must still be in Virginia. He made sure Frank O’Mara followed Colonel Stockton whenever he left Washington.

After General Grant assumed command of the new Military Department of the West, Colonel Stockton went to his Cannon Company in Baltimore and then went to New York to conduct business. Frank O’Mara had followed Colonel Stockton and he had not met his wife on this trip either.

When Colonel Stockton took off for New York for the Christmas Holidays Pinkerton believed Colonel Stockton was going to Virginia to visit his wife. Pinkerton had sent Frank O’Mara and three of his best Agents to set a trap to catch Colonel Stockton when he entered Virginia and exposed himself as the Confederate Agent they were looking for.

However, when none of Pinkerton’s Agents reported to him, he went towards Mathias Point where Frank O’Mara believed Colonel Stockton would cross into Virginia. Finding his Agents murdered apparently for their horses and valuables, Pinkerton still believed Colonel Stockton had killed them, but he could not prove it.

The unexpected threat to Colonel O’Neil remaining in Lincoln’s Whitehouse came when he was coming back to Washington after finalizing his plans in Richmond to capture the Special Train carrying the Artillery Ammunition and the Union Army’s payroll.

It was a miracle that Colonel O’Neil was not killed when his horse was shot out from under him after he had change into Colonel Stockton’s Union Colonel’s uniform near Fredericksburg. It was another set of miracles that Mr Hopkins had found Colonel O’Neil in Libby Prison and once O’Neil’s daughter Tammy convinced him he was her daddy Colonel O’Neil as Colonel Stockton was taken along in the planned escape from Libby Prison.

Now back in Washington after his brother John Patrick and Company C of the 5th Virginia Cavalry had pulled off the Train Robbery Colonel O’Neil was reviewing the events in this war and evaluated the chances of the South still winning this war.

The chances of the Confederacy winning the War had been significantly reduced in 1863. First with the loss of General Stonewall Jackson at Chancellorsville and then when General Lee’s invasion of north was stopped at Gettysburg. The fall of Vicksburg, which divided the Southern States at the Mississippi River, along with the Victory the Union, was claiming at Gettysburg the chances of England and France recognizing the South had all but evaporated.

The Confederate Victory at Chickamauga could have improved the South’s standing in Europe if General Bragg had not giving the Union Army time to recover and defeat his Army of the Tennessee at the Battle of Chattanooga. Now with General Grant in command of the Union Army and his success at Chattanooga he had found the path to the North winning the War by following Lincoln orders to destroy the Confederate Army.

With each new Union Ship built in their shipyards the Union’s Navy would tighten the Union’s strangle hold on the Blockade of the South’s seaports. O’Neil knew his ships of the Chameleon fleet would not be enough to bring in everything the Confederate Army needed and with more Union Ships operating on the Southern Blockade, there was greater chance of losing those ships. O’Neil had already lost two ships in January and one ship was carrying his first shipment of his copy of Henry Rifle type lever-action repeaters made by the Austrian Company.

Colonel O’Neil knew he had objectively analyzed the South’s position accurately and it would take a miracle for the Southern Army to survive another summer. He felt almost ashamed to admit he was having such negative thoughts and he could not ask Mrs Maytree to look over the facts he had been considering.

Mike then remembered what his mother had told him about eating an elephant. No one could eat an elephant in one bite but you could eat a whole elephant one bite at a time. With such a positive attitude, all O’Neil had to do was take one day at a time and let the Good Lord handle all the important things.

O’Neil also knew anything was possible if it was the Lord’s will. O’Neil prayed that the South winning the war was in God’s plan and he would keep the faith to do what he could to accomplish that objective.

Chapter Two:

WAS GOD LISTENING?

When General Ulysses S Grant was promoted to Lieutenant General and it was evident he would assume the title of General in Chief of the United States Army, Mrs Maytree held the promotion party for him. Everyone of any significance in Washington would be attending this major event of the New Year.

As expected the politicians were patting themselves on the back as if they had been supporting General Grant all along and it took President Lincoln this long to recognize him as the savior of the Union.

Colonel Stockton stayed on the sidelines as he watched all the glad handers vying for General Grant’s attention. Mrs Maytree made sure General Grant’s glass was refilled the moment it was empty. With the amount of whiskey General Grant drank, O’Neil believed the rumors about his excessive drinking had to be true.

O’Neil had studied General Grant’s background, his record at the West Point Academy and his military rise to become the General in Chief of the Union Army. O’Neil was looking for any personal weakness that could be used by the Confederate Army to defeat him in Battle. If whiskey were his weakness it may not be an advantage to the South as some men fought better when they were drunk.

Prior to coming to Mrs Maytree’s party Colonel Stockton had been studying his Whitehouse Sand Tables of the Union Raid made on Richmond that took place between February 28 and on March 3. Not only was the raid a military disaster, there were some significant political repercussions over the two Union Documents found on Colonel Dahlgren’s body on March 2.

Colonel Ulric Dahlgren was the son of Rear Admiral John Dahlgren and a former aide de camp to General Hooker. The first document signed by Colonel Dahlgren was apparently his orders to his command and the overall objectives of this raid on Confederate Capital of Richmond. We hope to relieve the (Union) prisoners on Belle Isle first and having seen them fairly started, we will cross the James River into Richmond, destroy the bridges after us and exhorting the released prisoners to destroy and burn the hateful city; and do not allow the rebel leader, Davis and his traitorous crew to escape. The second unsigned document may have been a continuation of the first document to clarify and reinforce the objectives of their mission. Once in the city it must be destroyed and Jeff Davis and the cabinet killed.

These two documents were sent to General Lee, who sent photographic copies to General Meade asking for the origin of these orders. This set off a significant challenge to the Union Army’s honor in conducting the War.

Colonel O’Neil had to wonder if his reporting of the deployable conditions of the Union Officers at Libby Prison to President Lincoln had somehow created this Union Army’s response to free the Union Enlisted Prisoners held at Belle Isle. As the timing of this Raid seemed more than just a coincidence.

General Judson Kilpatrick’s Union Cavalry with 4,000 men left Stevensburg Virginia on February 28 to raid Richmond. As General Kilpatrick advanced toward Richmond, his men wasted time tearing up the tracks of the Virginia Central Railroad. This gave Richmond more than enough time to prepare to defend the City. The Richmond Volunteer Militia was reinforced by other citizens, wounded soldiers and veterans while the alarm was sent to the Confederate Army. When General Kilpatrick finally approached Richmond, he found a major force defending the city. He decided to retreat across the Chickahominy River rather than engage the enemy of an unknown size.

Colonel Dahlgren with 500 Cavalrymen also coming from the Union Army at Culpeper County panned to cross the James River to penetrate the Richmond defenses from the south and free the Union prisoners held at Belle Isle. Meanwhile Colonel Dahlgren is faced with his own problems. He divides his command and sends Captain Mitchell down the north side of the James River to destroy property and attack Richmond from the north. Without a clarification, as to what property was to be destroyed, Colonel Dahlgren had violated the Union Army’s Code of Conduct for respecting civilian property in the Union’s Libber Code.

Colonel Dahlgren leading the rest of his Cavalry Unit asked the assistance of a young black man to show him where he could cross the James River. When the young black man leads Colonel Dahlgren on a wild goose chase delaying the Union Cavalry for hours, Colonel Dahlgren outraged by the deception, hangs the young black man.

Colonel Dahlgren than proceeds to Short Pump to rejoin Captain Mitchell, eight miles north of Richmond. When Colonel Dahlgren advances towards Richmond, he was met with increasing resistance and by nightfall, he orders a retreat from the city. On March 2, Colonel Dahlgren Cavalry was attacked by the 9th Virginia Cavalry and the Home Guard of King and Queen County near Walkerton, Virginia. He was killed and most of his men were captured.

General Kilpatrick was pursued by Confederate General Hampton’s Cavalry from Old Church who pushed the Union Cavalry back to the New Kent Courthouse where Union Infantry under General Butler’s command stopped General Hampton’s rout of the Union Cavalry. With such limited military activities since the end of 1863, the Newspapers in both the north and south may have aggregated the significance of this Union Defeat

Colonel Stockton first met General Grant when he briefed him on the Sand Tables he was keeping on the battles of the Union Army in the Whitehouse. General Grant did not seem to be impressed with Colonel Stockton’s efforts to help President Lincoln understand the actions of the past Union Army’s commanders. O’Neil had the feeling General Grant did not like the idea of being held accountable by some political hack dressed in a Union Army’s Uniform.

If O’Neil was right, he could see General Grant being reluctant to sending in detailed reports. To overcome this possibility Colonel Stockton would need to bend over backwards to help General Grant understand that it was President Lincoln desire to help him win this war, by knowing what General Grant did and what he planned to do.

General Grant seeing Colonel Stockton standing on the sidelines called him over to his inner circle of friends. Well Colonel Stockton, how is the President doing today? General Grant asked more if he were baiting Colonel Stockton into saying something unkind about the President.

When I left the President, he was concerned about General Kilpatrick’s Raid on Richmond and the death of Colonel Dahlgren. I do not know if you heard about the documents found on Colonel Dahlgren and I am sure President Lincoln will want to discuss them with you. Colonel Stockton told him.

Documents? No, I have not heard about them. What did they say? General Grant asked.

Let’s just say they are rather sensitive and it would be best if you talked to the President about them. Colonel Stockton replied and added, By the way Congratulation on your promotion, Sir.

This comment seemed to catch General Grant by surprise as all he could say was Thank you. After General Grant made his response he turned back to his group of followers, and Colonel Stockton wisely withdrew to socialize with Mrs Maytree’s other guests.

After further investigating the Dahlgren affair, General Meade would eventually reply to General Lee. Neither the United States Government, myself or General Kilpatrick authorized, sanctioned or approved the burning of the city of Richmond and the killing of Mr Davis and his cabinet, nor any other acts nor required by military necessity and in accordance with the usages of War. Whether General Meade’s declaration is a fact or cover up of the true intentions of General Kilpatrick’s raid would not stop the question of the Union Army’s change in it real objectives in the war.

What created the doubt for Colonel O’Neil was when he learned President Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton had approved the Raid on Richmond. The necessity to order this Raid to free the Union Prisons came after Colonel Stockton reported of the deplorable conditions in the Union Officers in Libby Prison. The President believed if the Officers were treated this badly, then the conditions in the Enlisted Men’s Prison had to be worse. Although President Lincoln did Order the Raid on Richmond to free the Union Prisoners, Colonel O’Neil could not establish if the President had authorized the destruction of the city or the killing of Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet.

Colonel Dahlgren may have received the order third hand and he chose to read into the Order what he believed the President really meant. However, like in all successful cover-ups with the death of Colonel Dahlgren, there was no way to determine who may have influenced him to issue the orders he did to his men.

In Richmond, the Confederate Government attempts to reduce excessive profiteering in the Blockage Runners by requiring them to carry 50% of their cargoes in Government Supplies and Military Goods. On March 10 General Grant met with General Meade the Commander of the Army of the Potomac at Brandy Station and surprisingly General Grant does not relieve him of his commend.

On March 10, Sally delivered two health identical twin boys and with Mikes agreement named them Thomas Jackson O’Neil and Robert E. Lee O’Neil after the south’s two favorite Generals. According to Martha’s letter, Sally was doing fine and Tammy was beside herself helping Sally take care of the boys or watching Michael JP who was now walking and getting into everything below three feet from the floor.

Martha also reported that Colonel Taylor was holding his own and taking his responsibilities as the Commander of the Militia even more seriously after the Union Raid on Richmond. Martha promised to send pictures of the twins as soon as they could get a photographer from Richmond.

Tammy letter was full of excitement about having two new bothers and her report that Bruno was pulling double duty watch Michael JP and making sure the twins were ok.

Sally’s letter was full of love, happiness and excitement in giving him two more sons. Sally’s detailed description of the Twins and Martha’s comment they looked like Mike’s father made Mike wish he could go home again and see the additions to his family.

Chapter Three:

THE WAR WAITS FOR NO MAN

Out in the Western Theater the Union Army’s Red River Campaign had begun. General A J Smith of General Sherman’s command left Vicksburg heading down the Mississippi River towards the Red River that ran through northwest Louisiana. General Smith’s 10,000 Troops from the Union’s XVI Corps and XVII Corps, of the Army of Tennessee were on board 30 Transport ships and escorted by 13 Union Ironclads and 7 Union Gunboats

This expedition had been planned by General in Chief Halleck for months with the intention of establishing the Union Army’s control of Louisiana and eastern Texas. As a result, Colonel Stockton had made the Whitehouse Sand Tables for General Halleck to plan this Campaign and Colonel O’Neil had forwarded General Halleck’s plans to Richmond.

General Grant, General Sherman and General Banks who was the Commander of the Department of the Gulf wanted to engage the enemy in the Mobile Alabama at the same time. However, despite their sound arguments General Halleck orders General Banks from New Orleans, to coordinate the Red River expedition and send 20,000 men to link up with General A J Smith’s 10,000 men and the 15,000 men of General Steele’s Command of the Department of Arkansas at Alexandria Louisiana.

General Banks would have two Infantry Divisions from the XIII Corps, two Infantry Divisions from the XIX Corps, a Cavalry Division and a Brigade of US Colored Troops. General Steele’s Army started so late and moved so slowly that his 15,000 men missed the entire Campaign.

Confederate General Kirby Smith of the Trans Mississippi Department had less than 35,000 men in his Command that was broken down into four Districts. General Richard Taylor commanded the District of West Louisiana with less than 10,000 men in two Infantry Divisions, two Cavalry Brigades and the Garrison at Shreveport. General Sterling Price commanded the District of Arkansas with less than 11,000 men in three Infantry Divisions and a Cavalry Division. General Samuel Maxey commanding the District of Indian Territory (Oklahoma) had less than 4,000 men in three Cavalry Brigades. General John Magruder commanding the District of Texas had 15,000 men but he could only send less than 7,000 men in various Cavalry Units to aide General Richard Taylor’s efforts in Louisiana. The Confederate Navy based in Shreveport had the Ironclad the CSS Missouri, the Gunboat Cotton and the Ram the CSS Webb.

With the size of the Confederate Army being seriously outnumbered by the Union Army, the outcome of the Red River Campaign should have been an easy victory for the North. However, the South would take advantage of low water obstacles, the inhospitable countryside and the use of snipers to harass, deceive and delay the Union Army. The Union Commanders did not help themselves by their lack of coordination and their failure to bring their superior numbers against the small Southern Army.

On March 12, the Federal Fleet and troop Transports reached the mouth of the Red River and headed up the river towards Alexandria, Louisiana. On March 14, the Union forces easily overwhelmed the partially completed Confederate Fort de Russy near Simsport, Louisiana, capturing 210 men and several artillery guns. While the Union Army was capturing Fort de Russy, the Federal Fleet busted through dam nine miles below the Fort and proceeded up the Red River.

With the Red River Campaign is off to a good start President Lincoln transfers power from the Military to the new Civilian Governor of Louisiana on March 15. This is President Lincoln’s attempt to made Louisiana the model, for his post war reconstruction plans.

On March 16, nine Union Gunboats arrive at Alexandria Louisiana and Union Army Troops easily occupies the town and wait for the arrival of the other Union Forces. On March 17, General Grant met with General Sherman at Knoxville Tennessee. Instead of following General Halleck’s original plan General Grant as the new General in Chief of the Union Army plans to attack Confederate Johnson’s Army at Dalton Georgia.

Once their plans are made General Grant announced that his Headquarters will be in the field and until further orders, will be with the Army of the Potomac. By issuing this order, General Grant is turning his primary objective towards General Lee’s Army in Virginia.

On March 18, a convention in Arkansas ratifies a pro union Constitution and abolishes slavery. This becomes another southern state to move in the direction of President Lincoln’s post war reconstruction plans.

On March 19, General Banks Cavalry commanded by General Franklin begins to arrive at Alexandria Louisiana. However, General Banks and the rest of his command would not arrive until March 26. While the General A J Smith’s Union Army is waiting for the rest of their committed forces to arrive, small-scale Confederate attacks begin to harass the Union Army.

On March 21, General A J Smith sent Union General Joseph Mower on a mission to capture Confederate General Richard Taylor’s Cavalry outpost at Henderson’s hill, Louisiana. This surprise attack captured 250 men, 200 horses and 4 cannons. With the loss of his outpost, General Taylor is deprived of the means to observe the Union Army’s activities in Alexandria for a brief time.

When General Banks finally arrives at Alexandria, there is an urgent message from General Grant. General Grant stresses the importance to take Shreveport as soon as possible to allow General A J Smith’s command to return to General Sherman in northern Georgia by the middle of April. General Grant further adds that General A J Smith’s Command must return, even if it leads to the abandonment of the main objective of your expedition. However, General Banks continues to wait for General Steele to move his Army south from Little Rock Arkansas towards Alexandria as originally planned by General Halleck.

In Washington on March 23, General Grant prepares for the simultaneous advance of all the Union’s Armies in his war of attrition. Although Colonel O’Neil was aware of General Grant’s plans to attack Confederate Johnson’s Army the details of when and where the Union Army would begin this Campaign were not forthcoming from General Grant. The best O’Neil could do was warn Mr. Hopkins and President Davis that the attack was emanate. The same was true of General Grant’s plans for the Union Army’s attack on General Lee’s Army in Virginia.

For all Colonel O’Neil knew, Pinkerton had warned General Grant of his suspicions that Colonel Stockton could be the South’s deep cover Agent in Lincoln’s Whitehouse. If General Grant believed Pinkerton, Colonel O’Neil would still have his Field Agents in the Unions Army’s Corps who would Report what the Union Armies were doing. However, these Reports could only tell him what the Union Armies had done and he could not tell the South what they planned to do.

Colonel O’Neil discussed this possible problem with Mrs Maytree to see if she had a way of improving the situation. Mrs Maytree suggested that he change the way their Agents reported what was going on in the Union Armies Corps and report more often even if nothing significant had happened.

Colonel O’Neil took her suggestion and required his Field Agent to make their reports every day. Colonel Stockton explained that something that would appear to be insignificant to them could be important indication of an unseen problem someone in General Grant’s Headquarters needed to know about.

Colonel Stockton went on to explain that this daily report would be a double check on the Corps Commanders who may not be aware of the problem and therefore he had did not reported it. Colonel Stockton than given each of this Field Agents a five dollar a month raise to cover the addition work he expected from them.

Colonel O’Neil received the photographs of his two new sons and he was surprised by Sally’s comment that both of his sons had red hair. Sally had put their names on each photograph, as they were a mirror image of each other. Yet Sally claimed she could tell the difference between them as Thomas’s curly hair went to the right and Robert’s hair curled to the left. Sally added other differences between them and she told Mike how happy and smart the babies were. The only thing Sally could not tell him was which son had been born first.

On March 24, Confederate Cavalry commanded by General Nathan Bedford Forrest captured Union City in western Tennessee. On the following day, General Forrest attacks Paducah, Kentucky on the banks of the Ohio River. Although General Forrest took the city, he cannot capture the Union Garrison. When General Sherman sends his Union Cavalry, General Forrest withdraws from Paducah towards Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River.

On March 28, a group of Confederate-Cooperheads attacked the Union Army’s forces in Charleston, Illinois. This became the worst antiwar outbreak since the July 1863 Draft Riots in New York.

Colonel O’Neil received a report from Richmond that the Confederate Army Commanded by General Taylor had moved to resist the Union Army’s advance up the Red River. However, the report fails to state the size of General Taylor’s Army and the report did not state where General Taylor plans to engage the Union Army. Since Colonel Stockton’s own Field Agents had not reported any Confederate activity, Colonel O’Neil felt he could resurrect his phantom Confederate Army in Louisiana.

Colonel Stockton knowing General Halleck’s plans Colonel O’Neil placed his phantom Confederate Army on his Whitehouse Sand Tables in the most likely approach of the Union Army. Little did O’Neil know that where he had placed his phantom the Confederates would burn 10 miles of the cotton fields along the banks of Red River on March 29 the day after he did it. This would reinforce the idea that the Confederate Army was waiting for the Union Army there.

The first daily reports from Colonel Stockton’s Field Agents indicated the Union Army would concentrate it forces near Natchitoches and Colonel O’Neil sent this information to Richmond. The next day’s reports stated General Banks reached Natchitoches on March 31 just 65 miles south of Shreveport. General Franklin’s Cavalry had been delayed a week by rain.

Admiral Porter had a similar delay to get his heaviest Gunboats over the raids north of Alexandria. There were reported Confederate mines in the river and although it had rain most of the week, the Red River failed to rise to its normal seasonal level. What Colonel Stockton did not expect was the report that Admiral Porter had also spent time gathering cotton, for the Union’s Cotton Speculators.

On April 2, it was reported that General Albert Lindy Lee’s Division of Union Cavalry collided with 1,500 arriving Confederate Texas cavalrymen. The Texans held their ground and stopped the Union’s advance. The combination of faulty Union Intelligence and the phantom Confederate Army Colonel O’Neil had created convinced General Banks that there were more Confederate forces then just the Texans. He also believed there were addition forces with General Taylor and his Cavalry waiting for the Union Army up the road. Therefore, General Banks cautiously advances his Army towards Pleasant Hill.

By April 3, the Red River rose slightly but it was just high enough for the unloaded 13 Union Gunboats and the 30 Troop Transports to pass over the rapid above Alexandria. This possess required the unloading of the Union’s supplies and once the ships made it passed the rapids these supplies had to be hauled around the rapids by wagons and reloaded on the ships. By this time, the supplies for the Union Army’s Expedition had become critical. The Union’s Navy was forced to leave seven of the larger Gunboats and Troop Transports behind at Alexandria.

The reports from Colonel Stockton’s Field Agents indicated the Union Army would concentrate it forces near Natchitoches and Colonel O’Neil sent this information to Richmond along with the fact that the Union Army may have a supply problem.

President Lincoln is forced to deal with France’s interest in Mexico since Napoleon III set up a puppet monarchy after he invaded Mexico in 1862. President Lincoln fears that with the Union involved in the Civil War, Napoleon might try to retake Texas or even aide the Confederacy. This was another reason why President Lincoln had pushed so hard to make this Red River Campaign a major objective of the Union Army. With the Mexican Army on the boarder at Juarez and the real threat of retaking Texas, President Lincoln had the United States House of Representatives pass a resolution saying the United States will not tolerate any interference of the Mexican Government.

On April 5, General Taylor and his 16,000-man Army, pulled back to Mansfield, Louisiana as the Union Army advances. General Taylor has placed his Army between General Bank’s Army and Shreveport, which is General Bank’s objective. The Union Army is marching in a thin 12-mile long. line on a single lane road. General Banks’s Army is also encumbered by his wagon train carrying his ammunition and supplies through the barren and enemy held wilderness. General Banks Army has a continuing problem of finding suitable Campsites with water for his men and the lack of monitoring all his Army’s Units. The Union’s fleet continues to make poor headway up the low waters in the Red River.

On April 6 in New Orleans, the Union Convention adopts a new State Constitution and abolishes slavery making it the third State to accept President Lincoln’s post war reconstruction plans.

When Colonel Stockton learns from his Field Agents in General Meade’s Army that his Campaign against General Lee’s Army will be announced by General Grant, Colonel O’Neil immediately notifies Richmond. Orders were sent to General Longstreet on April 7 to return to General Lee’s Army in Virginia.

President Lincoln reinforces his commitment to abolish slavery when the Senate votes 38 to 6 to pass the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution outlawing, Slavery. This would affect all those areas under the jurisdiction of the United States. Such a Constitutional change would not have been possible before the War however now with this overwhelming Vote it showed the importance and the moral significance of the Union’s commitment in the War.

After General Taylor evaluated his position at Mansfield, Louisiana, he moved his Army to a better defensive position at Sabine Crossroads while his Cavalry continues to screen his Army from the advancing Union Cavalry.

The frequency of dismounted Confederate Cavalry ambushing the Union Cavalry was common. Frustrated by this tactic, General Lindley Lee’s Division boldly charged a small force of Confederate Cavalry at the Moss Plantation, three miles south of Mansfield, Louisiana and pushed the Confederate Cavalry off Honeycutt Hill.

General Taylor had created an in-depth defense and he had placed General Mouton’s Infantry Division in the woods along the edge of the clearing just north of Honeycutt Hill and east of the road. When General Lindley Lee realizes the potential trap, he requested Infantry support from General Landram’s 2,400 men Division of the Union’s XIII Corps. General Landram quickly responded and deployed his Units to face Confederate General Mouton’s men. General Banks immediately rushes toward the front believing this could become a major battle.

General Taylor also sees this developing into a major engagement. He sends General Walker’s Division to the woods and on the other side of the road, which would give General Taylor about 9,000 men and a numeric advantage over General Banks 5,000 men. However, General Banks had deployed General Landram’s Division facing General Mouton’s Division with only a Union Cavalry Brigade holding his left wing.

General Taylor was hoping the Union Army would attack him, but General Banks only initiated an Artillery duel. By 4 pm, General Taylor was convinced the Union Army was in disarray and would not attack him. He orders General Mouton’s Division to attack the Union’s right across an 800-yard field. While General Mouton’s Division is stall by Union General Landram Division, General Taylor advanced his entire line with General Walker’s Division attacking the Union’s left flank.

General Walker quickly runs through the Union Cavalry Brigade and sweeps behind the rest of General Banks Army. General Banks calls for reinforcement but it was already too late. The Union line collapsed and a substantial number of men from General Landram’s Division were captured. A few hundred yards down the road, the arriving Union reinforcements of General Cameron’s division set up a line of defense.

However again it was too little, too late as General Taylor’s Forces smashed into General Cameron’s lines and his Division broke and ran leaving behind their supply wagons and cannons. These supply wagons and Artillery pieces may have saved General Banks routed Army, as the Confederate soldiers stopped to loot the Union’s supply wagons. Once the Confederate Commanders regained control of their looting men, General Taylor continued his pursuit of the disorganized Union Army.

However, Union General Emory’s Division of 5,800 men had established a defensive line on a ridge overlooking Chatman’s Bayou. His Division repulsed the Confederate advance but they had lost control of the precious water supply in the bayou. During the night, General Banks decided to withdraw to Pleasant Hill because of the lack of water and his desire to consolidate his Army with General A J Smith’s Command.

During the Battle of Mansfield, the Union suffered 2,400 casualties with over half of them in General Landram’s Division. Two of Landram’s eight Regiments were captured and both of his Brigade Commanders were wounded and captured. General Taylor lost almost 1,000 men including General Mouton who was killed leading his men in the opening charge.

Back in Washington on April 9, General Grant issues his orders as part of his grand strategy to advance against the Southern Armies on all fronts. This new Union Army strategy clearly established the destruction of the Confederate Army is its primary objective and not the capture of the Confederate Capital of Richmond.

General Banks is to take Mobile and advance into Alabama while General Sherman moves against Confederate General Johnson’s Army of the Tennessee in Georgia. General Sigel will move south in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. General Butler will move from the Tidewater area of Virginia toward Richmond. The Army of the Potomac will advance on General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and General Meade is given specific orders, Whenever Lee goes, there you will also go.

Colonel O’Neil sent General Grant’s objectives to Richmond knowing the South was already forced into a defensive position. The Southern Army could no longer mount an offensive campaign since Gettysburg and the best the Confederacy and its Armies could do now was to react to the Union Army’s attacks. Colonel O’Neil also felt the South would not believe that the Union had given up on capturing Richmond.

Back in Louisiana, the military engagement continued with the Battle of Pleasant Hill. General Taylor did not learn of Gneral Banks retreat until dawn of April 9. General Taylor orders the immediate pursuit of General Banks Army by General Green’s Cavalry. When General Green finds General Banks battle line near the town of Pleasant Hill he retreats a mile and waits for the Infantry to arrive. Some of the Confederate Infantry arrives shortly after noon but most of the Confederate Infantry would arrive after marching forty miles in thirty-six hours. General Taylor lets his men rest while he plans his attack with their Commanders.

At 4 pm, the next day after General Churchill’s Infantry arrived General Taylor stated his attack on the Union forces. General Taylor thought he was sending General Churchill’s Infantry into the Union Army’s flank but it was the center of the Union’s line. General Taylor’s Cavalry also miscalculated the Union Army’s position and suffered heavy losses from the Union Army’s flanking fire. However, General Churchill’s Infantry succeed in collapsing the center of the Union’s line but in doing so his men were forced into fighting against three sides of the Union Army. General A J Smith unused Divisions formed the top side and the counterattacking Union Army formed the other two sides. This opportunity rallied the men of the Union Army and their combined forces routed General Taylors Army from Pleasant Hill. Rather than pursue the retreating Confederate Army General Banks ordered a rapid retreat downriver to Natchitoches and Grand Ecore. General Banks based his decision on the short supply of water and no feed for the horse, as he had no idea where this supply boats were and his senior Officers had divided opinions of a proper course of action.

Although the Battle of Pleasant Hill had been a tactical victory for the Union, the Confederate won the strategic victory. The Union Army had retreated from the Battlefield and the Confederacy would hold the State of Louisiana on the west side of the Mississippi River until the end of the War. Both sides had suffered an equal number of casualties close to 1,600 men.

As General Banks retreated, the Confederates had diverted a good portion of the water of the Red River into a