Battle of Plains Store

The Battle of Plains Store or the Battle of Springfield Road was fought May 21, 1863, in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, during the campaign to capture Port Hudson in the American Civil War. The Union victory closed the last Confederate escape route from Port Hudson.

Battle of Plains Store
Part of the American Civil War
DateMay 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 W. Powers
William R. Miles
Units involved
XIX Corps Port Hudson garrison
Strength
1 division of infantry
1 brigade of cavalry		 ~600[1]
Casualties and losses
150 100

Background

The 1st Division, XIX Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Christopher C. Augur, left Baton Rouge and was moving north towards Port Hudson to secure a landing for the rest of Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks's forces.

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

Union cavalry under Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Grierson, leading the advance of Augur's division, began skirmishing with Confederate forces under Col. Frank W. Powers. Union infantry approached and the fighting escalated. Col. William R. Miles left Port Hudson at noon, but when he reached the field, Powers's forces had already retreated and the fighting subsided. Miles nevertheless attacked, and at first succeeded in pushing back the Union infantry. Augur rallied his troops and counterattacked, driving the Confederates from Plains Store and back to the Port Hudson defenses, ending the battle.

Aftermath

The battle closed off the last escape route for the Confederate garrison at Port Hudson. The next day Nathaniel Banks invested the fortress and began the siege of Port Hudson.

Notes
  1. Kennedy, p. 181.

References
  • National Park Service battle description
  • Kennedy, Frances H., ed., The Civil War Battlefield Guide, 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998, ISBN 0-395-74012-6.
  • CWSAC Report Update

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