Battle of Plains Store facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Plains Store
Part of the American Civil War
Date May 21, 1863 (1863-05-21) Location East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Christopher C. Augur	Frank P. Powers William R. Miles
Units involved
Augur's division	Port Hudson garrison
Strength
3,500 men	1,000 men

The Battle of Plains Store happened on May 21, 1863. It was fought in Louisiana during the American Civil War. This battle was part of a bigger plan to capture Port Hudson. Union soldiers from Baton Rouge, Louisiana met about 600 Confederate soldiers at a key crossroads.

The first Confederate group pulled back. But then, 400 more Confederates arrived from Port Hudson. Some of these new Confederate troops pushed back Union cannons and made a Union regiment run away. However, they could not take the cannons. More Union soldiers came forward and attacked the Confederates, forcing them to leave the area. The Confederates went back to Port Hudson. The next day, Union troops almost completely surrounded Port Hudson. The city was under a siege until the Confederates gave up on July 9.

Why Was This Battle Important?

By 1863, the Confederates controlled parts of the Mississippi River. They had strongholds at Port Hudson, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi. This allowed them to move supplies across the river.

The Union army wanted to control the entire Mississippi River. They had already started a siege at Vicksburg in May 1863. Another Union general, Nathaniel P. Banks, turned his army towards Port Hudson. His goal was to defeat the Confederate forces there. Then, he planned to move north and help with the attack on Vicksburg.

To support General Banks, a Union division (a large group of soldiers) led by General Christopher C. Augur left Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On May 20, they marched north towards Port Hudson. Augur had about 3,500 men. Many of his soldiers were new to fighting. The Battle of Plains Store was their first time in combat.

How the Battle Unfolded

On the morning of May 21, General Augur's lead soldiers met Confederate troops. This happened near a crossroads where the Plains Store was located. Taking control of this crossroads was important. It would allow General Banks's troops to land nearby and join Augur's forces.

About 600 Confederates, led by Colonel Frank P. Powers, defended the crossroads. They had infantry, cavalry, and cannons. Small fights, called skirmishes, began as the main Union force arrived. Confederate cannons stopped the Union advance. So, Union cannons were brought up around 10:00 AM. An artillery duel (a fight between cannons) started.

The Union cannons struggled at first. Colonel N. A. M. Dudley ordered one Union cannon unit to pull back. He replaced it with the 2nd Vermont Battery. Dudley also sent Union infantry soldiers forward to fight the Confederates. Colonel Powers's Confederate force was outnumbered. Around noon, Confederate General Franklin Gardner sent Colonel William R. Miles with 400 more soldiers and cannons to help Powers.

Before Miles arrived, Powers's men started running low on ammunition. So, they pulled back from the field. Dudley's Union soldiers then took control of the crossroads. Some Union cannons and the 48th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment moved up the road towards Port Hudson. The rest of the Union force stayed near Plains Store.

Colonel Miles and his men had moved through the woods. The Union troops did not see them. Miles split his force into two groups. One group, led by Major James T. Coleman, attacked the advanced Union cannons. Coleman's soldiers quickly pushed past the cannons and made the 48th Massachusetts Regiment run away. However, the Confederates could not take the cannons. The horses that pulled the cannons had been killed.

When the fighting started, two more Union regiments were sent forward. These were the 116th New York and the 49th Massachusetts. The 49th Massachusetts fought Coleman's men. Confederate cannon fire forced them to take cover. But Coleman did not have enough soldiers to attack them further.

The other Confederate group, led by Lieutenant Colonel F. B. Brand, tried to get around the side of the 116th New York. But the New York soldiers quickly turned to face them. Then, they charged at the Confederates, driving them from the field. The Confederates then retreated back to Port Hudson.

What Happened After the Battle?

Historians have different numbers for how many soldiers were hurt or captured. One historian, John D. Winters, says the Confederates lost 89 men. He says the Union lost 100. Another historian, Russell W. Blount, says the Confederates had 12 killed and the Union had 15 killed. He says over 100 soldiers were wounded in total, mostly Union soldiers. A Union report after the battle said Augur lost about 150 men. Blount said that "nothing was accomplished" by the battle. He meant it was just the first fighting in the Port Hudson campaign.

During the battle, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston told General Gardner to leave Port Hudson. But Gardner chose to obey orders from Confederate President Jefferson Davis and stayed. He asked for more soldiers.

On May 22, General Banks landed his troops at Bayou Sara. He pushed forward because he heard Augur had met resistance. More Union troops arrived from New Orleans, Louisiana. By the end of that day, Port Hudson was almost completely surrounded. General Johnston again ordered Gardner to leave the next day. But by then, the Confederates in Port Hudson were trapped. The Siege of Port Hudson began. The Confederate soldiers inside Port Hudson ran out of food. They were forced to eat rats and mules. General Gardner finally surrendered on July 9. This was five days after Vicksburg also fell to the Union.

Union Soldier Losses

Images for kids

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  Map of Plains Store Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.