The Battle of Vermillion Bayou was fought on April 17, 1863, the third battle in a series of running battles between Union Major General Nathaniel Prentice Banks and Confederate Major General Richard Taylor. The battle was fought after both the Battle of Fort Bisland and the Battle of Irish Bend. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert Edward Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... Lafayette Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (April 3–April 10, 1865) Largest city New Orleans... General Nathaniel Banks served as Governor of Massachusetts and the Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives before becoming a General in the Union Army. ... Richard Taylor Richard Taylor (January 27, 1826 – April 12, 1879) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ... XIX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Lower Seaboard Theater of the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Robert Anderson P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 85 soldiers 500 soldiers Casualties 1 dead, 5 injured 4 injured The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12 – April 13, 1861), a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... The Battle of Fort Pulaski was fought on April 11, 1862, between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Forts Jackson and St. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Officer David G. Farragut and Maj. ... The Battle of Secessionville occurred on June 16, 1862 in the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders A.J. Drake J.W. Pearson Strength 1 gunboat Osceola Rangers, company Casualties 0 0 The Battle of Tampa was a minor engagement of the American Civil War fought June 30–July 1, 1862, between the United States Navy and... Combatants Confederate States of America United States of America Commanders John C. Breckinridge Thomas Williams† and Thomas W. Cahill Strength 2600 2500 Casualties 478 dead 371 dead The Battle of Baton Rouge (or Magnolia Cemetery) was a ground and naval battle in the American Civil War fought in East Baton... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel P. Banks Richard Taylor Strength Department of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 234 (estimated) 450 (estimated) The Battle of Fort Bisland was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks against Confederate Major General Richard... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Prentice Banks Richard Taylor Strength Army of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 350 (estimated) unknown The Battle of Irish Bend, also known as Niersons Wood or Franklin, was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel... The Storming of Fort Wagner Fort Wagner (also called Battery Wagner) was a fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor. ... The Storming of Fort Wagner Fort Wagner (also called Battery Wagner) was a fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor. ... The Second Battle of Fort Sumter was fought from August 17 to September 9 of 1863 between Union and Confederate forces. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Christopher C. Augur Frank W. Powers William R. Miles Strength 1st Division, XIX Army Corps, Army of the Gulf  ? Casualties 150 100 The Battle of Plains Store or the Battle of Springfield Road was fought May 21, 1863 in East... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel P. Banks Franklin Gardner Strength XIX Army Corps, Army of the Gulf Confederate forces, 3rd District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Port Hudson Casualties 5,000 7,208 The Siege of Port Hudson occurred in the summer of... Gainesville, site of a crucial railroad junction and depot in north central Florida, was the scene of small-scale fighting during the Civil War. ... The Battle of Olustee was a battle in the American Civil War which took place near Lake City, Florida on February 20, 1864. ... The Battle of Natural Bridge was a battle during the American Civil War, fought near Tallahassee, Florida on March 6, 1865. ... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... General Nathaniel Banks served as Governor of Massachusetts and the Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives before becoming a General in the Union Army. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Richard Taylor Richard Taylor (January 27, 1826 – April 12, 1879) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel P. Banks Richard Taylor Strength Department of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 234 (estimated) 450 (estimated) The Battle of Fort Bisland was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks against Confederate Major General Richard... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Prentice Banks Richard Taylor Strength Army of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 350 (estimated) unknown The Battle of Irish Bend, also known as Niersons Wood or Franklin, was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel...

Prelude

After Nathaniel Prentice Banks had outmaneuvered Richard Taylor's Army of Western Louisiana out from the Bayou Teche region, he continued his movements towards his main objective of Alexandria, Louisiana. The Confederates were trying to slow him down as much as they could and they once again tried slowing him down right outside of Vermillion Bayou. General Nathaniel Banks served as Governor of Massachusetts and the Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives before becoming a General in the Union Army. ... Richard Taylor Richard Taylor (January 27, 1826 – April 12, 1879) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ... The Bayou Teche is a 125-mile long waterway of great cultural significance in south central Louisiana. ... Alexandria is a city in Louisiana, U.S.A.; it is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. ...

Battle

As Richard Taylor's small army was withdrawing up the Teche, they crossed a bridge going over Vermillion Bayou. In order to slow Banks' army down, Taylor's men lit the bridge on fire and stopped for a rest. Banks, who was in pursuit of Taylor, split his army into two columns and sent one towards the bridge and the other column around the side.

As soon as the first column came within sight of the bridge, Confederate artillery began shelling the Union soldiers. After a while, Union artillery came up and a series of counter-battery exchanges ensued. Historically, artillery (from French artillerie) refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

During the night, Taylor, knowing himself to be outnumbered, withdrew his force again.

Aftermath

Though Taylor had not dealt Banks a defeat, he was continually slowing Banks down from reaching Alexandria, Louisiana, and his ultimate objective of Port Hudson, Louisiana. Alexandria is a city in Louisiana, U.S.A.; it is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. ... Port Hudson, is a small town in Louisiana located about 20 mile northeast of Baton Rouge. ...

References

• Ayres, Thomas., Dark and Bloody Ground : The Battle of Mansfield and the Forgotten Civil War in Louisiana, Cooper Square Press, 2001.
• Parrish, T. Michael, Richard Taylor, Soldier Prince of Dixie, University of North Carolina Press, 1992.
• Taylor, Richard, Destruction and Reconstruction : Personal experiences of the late war, Time-Life Books, 1983.