Contraband On Plantations

Fought by black Union troops the Battle of Goodrich’s Landing occurred on June 29^th and June 30^th 1863.

When the Union began occupying Louisiana, many escaped slaves or contraband went to them for protection.  Those members of the Union government in the area leased, or took over some plantations placing these newly freedmen on the plantations growing crops.  As protection African American soldiers were assigned to guard these properties.

Confederate troops under Colonel William H Parsons took on a mission to try to re-capture some of these areas.  They left from Gaines’s Landing, Arkansas to attack a fort the Union had built on an Indian mound.  On June 29^th 1863 Parsons’ men demanded surrender of the Union troops holding the fort, which they accepted.  The Confederate troops began burning the plantations in the area, before having a fight with the Union 1^st Kansas Mounted Infantry.

The next morning June 30^th 1863 the Mississippi Marine Brigade under the command of Union Brigadier General Alfred W Ellet landed at Goodrich’s Landing.  Ellet along with Union Colonel William F Wood began skirmishing with Parsons Confederates.  As the fight became heated Parsons withdrew his men.

The Other Richmond

A part of the Siege of Vicksburg, the Battle of Richmond was fought June 15^th 1863 in Richmond, Louisiana.

Richmond, Louisiana was an important part of the Confederate supply line for Vicksburg, Mississippi.  After Union troops won battles at Milliken’s Bend and Young’s Point they were able to move against Richmond.  Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman ordered Brigadier General Joseph Mower’s brigade from the trenches around Vicksburg, and told him to coordinate an attack against Confederate forces in Richmond with Union Marine Brigadier General Alfred W Ellet.

The Union troops advanced on Richmond on June 15^th 1863 with Ellet’s men in the lead.    Confederate Major General John G Walker’s scouts learned of Ellet’s men movements.  Walker had line of skirmishers made up of the 18^th Texas Infantry; they stopped the initial Union forward movement.  The Confederate held their line until Mower came up with his infantry, formed in line of battle and opened with their artillery.  The battle continued until Mower’s men made it through a bayou and got on Walker’s flank.

Walker had gotten his supply wagons to safety, and finding himself outnumbered, he withdrew his men.  As they pulled out of the area, the Confederate destroyed the bridges.  The Union win at Richmond on June 15^th 1863 took away another supply route from the garrison at Vicksburg.