Battle of Yellow Bayou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Yellow Bayou
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
Date May 18, 1864 (1864-05-18) Location Avoyelles Parish, Yellow Bayou, Louisiana Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
Joseph A. Mower	Richard Taylor
Units involved
XVI Corps	District of Western Louisiana
Casualties and losses
360	500

Map of the Yellow Bayou Battlefield.

The Battle of Yellow Bayou was a fight during the American Civil War. It happened on May 18, 1864, in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. This battle was between soldiers from the Union (the North) and the Confederate States (the South).

Union forces found Confederate soldiers near Yellow Bayou. A Union general, Joseph A. Mower, was told to stop them. The Union soldiers attacked first, pushing the Confederates back. But then, the Confederates fought back, making the Union soldiers retreat. This back-and-forth fighting went on for several hours. Eventually, a fire started in the dry grass, forcing both sides to stop fighting and pull back.

What Happened Before the Battle?

Major General Nathaniel P. Banks was leading Union troops in the Red River Campaign. This was a big plan to take control of the Red River. After losing battles like the Battle of Mansfield and the Battle of Pleasant Hill, Banks and his army were retreating.

They reached the Atchafalaya River on May 17. If they could cross this river, they would be safe from the constant attacks by Confederate soldiers. But first, army engineers had to build a bridge for them to cross.

The Fight Itself

On May 18, General Banks learned that Confederate Major General Richard Taylor's troops were close to Yellow Bayou. Banks ordered another general, Andrew Jackson Smith, to stop Taylor's forces. Since General Smith couldn't go himself, he sent Brigadier General Joseph A. Mower to meet Taylor.

General Mower's Union soldiers, sometimes called "Yankees," attacked first. They pushed the Confederate soldiers, sometimes called "Rebels," back to their main lines. But the Confederates quickly fought back. They forced the Union soldiers to give up some ground.

For several hours, the Union and Confederate armies pushed each other back and forth. It was like a "seesaw" battle. Finally, the dry ground cover caught fire. This fire was so big that both sides had to stop fighting and retreat from the area.

What Happened After the Battle?

The Battle of Yellow Bayou was the last major fight of General Banks's difficult Red River Expedition. Even though the battle was inconclusive (meaning neither side clearly won), it helped the Union army escape. This allowed the Union soldiers to get away safely and be ready to fight another day.