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The Battle of Monette’s Ferry took place in April, 1864, on a battlefield that is now cut through by a highway running from Natchitoches to Alexandria, Louisiana. The Union troops, led by General Nathanial Banks, were suffering from the weather and terrain. The thick brush and mud made traveling difficult. However, this was soon to be the least of their worries. Ahead was the Cane River, and blocking their path across the river at Monette’s Ferry was the Confederate Army.
The Confederate Army was led by Brig. Gen. Hamilton P. Bee, who had orders to hold the Union back until Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor’s forces could pin them in from the other side. The Union had to find a way across and battle the Confederates at the same time. They finally managed to cross by a ford shown to them by a slave. They were led by Gen. Henry Birge. Once they crossed the river they then began the second battle with the Confederate Army. Bee had to call a retreat due to Taylor not arriving in time to pin them in and the Union finally gained control of the ferry.
Taylor was angry that Bee had called a retreat. He felt Bee should have stood his ground, and he would later rebuke Bee for his actions. In a report from Banks it was written that some 200 soldiers were either killed or wounded in battle that day. Banks’ Union Army crossed the river at 11 a.m.on April 24, 1864 and they marched toward Alexandria leaving a trail of fire.
Summary taken from “The Battle of Monette’s Ferry”, Alexandria Town Talk, March 31, 2002.
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