Baton Rouge, LA

[The Battle of Baton Rouge - Harper's Weekly - Courtesy of Son of the South]

Date(s): August 5, 1862

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Operations Against Baton Rouge [1862]

Battles in Campaign:

• Baton Rouge, LA - August 5, 1862 B

• Donaldsonville, LA I - August 9, 1862 D¹  

Situation:

• In an attempt to regain control of Louisiana, the Confederates wanted to recapture the capital at Baton Rouge.

• Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge planned a combined land/water expedition with his corps and CSS Ram Arkansas.

Commanders:

• Union: Brig. Gen. Thomas Williams

• Confederate: Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge

Principal Forces:

• Union: 2nd Brigade, Department of the Gulf

• Confederate: Breckinridge’s Corps

Description:

• Breckinridge's troops advanced west from Camp Moore to around ten miles from Baton Rouge on August 4th.

• The Confederates reached the outskirts of the capital early in the morning, formed for an attack in two divisions, and drove back each Union unit they encountered.

• Union gunboats in the river began shelling the Confederates.

• The Arkansas could have neutralized the Union gunboats, but her engines failed and she did not participate in the battle.

• Union land forces fell back to a more defensible line.

• The Union commander, Brig. Gen. Thomas Williams, was killed soon after and the new commander, Col. Thomas W. Cahill, ordered a retreat to a prepared defensive line nearer the river and within the gunboats’ protection.

• The Confederate troops attacked the new line without success and the Federals finally forced them to retire.

• The next day the Arkansas’s engines failed again as she closed on the Union gunboats and she was blown up and scuttled by her crew.

• The Confederates failed to recapture the state capital.

Slide Presentation: None

Classification²: B

Casualties³:

• Union: 371

• Confederate: 478

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• The Battle of Baton Rouge - Wikipedia

• Battle of Baton Rouge - Son of the South

Recommended Resources:

¹National Park Service summary.

² Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

³ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 09/03/2009