| Battle of Irish Bend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theAmerican Civil War | |||||||
 Sketch of the battle for Harper’s Weekly | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |  CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Nathaniel P. Banks Cuvier Grover | Richard Taylor | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| XIX Corps | Army of Western Louisiana | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 353[1] | Unknown | ||||||
TheBattle of Irish Bend, also known asNerson's Woods orFranklin, took place during theAmerican Civil War. It was fought betweenUnionMajor GeneralNathaniel Prentice Banks againstConfederateMajor GeneralRichard Taylor during Banks's operations against theBayou Teche region nearFranklin, the seat ofSt. Mary Parish in southernLouisiana.
While the other two UnionXIX Corps divisions under Nathaniel Prentice Banks were comprising the expedition into westLouisiana crossedBerwick Bay towardsFort Bisland,Brigadier GeneralCuvier Grover’s division went up theAtchafalaya River intoGrand Lake, where they could either block a Confederate retreat, or force a retreat if the Confederates stayed and fought at Fort Bisland. The battle occurred two days after theBattle of Fort Bisland.
On the morning of April 13, 1863, Grover's division landed in the vicinity of Franklin and scattered Confederate troops attempting to stop them from disembarking. That night Grover ordered the division to crossBayou Teche and prepare for an attack towardsFranklin, Louisiana, at dawn. Meanwhile, however, Major General Richard Taylor reacted, feeling the obvious threat to his rear. He started withdrawing his forces from Fort Bisland, and his advance guard arrived quickly. On the morning of April 14, Taylor and his men were at Nerson's Woods, around a mile and a half above Franklin. As Grover's lead brigade marched out a few miles, it found Taylor's men on its right and skirmishing began. The fighting became intense; the Confederates attacked, forcing the Federal soldiers to fall back. The gunboatDiana arrived and anchored the Confederate right flank on the Teche. Still, Grover's men outnumbered the Confederates and when he paused to deploy his full force, Taylor withdrew rather than risk a pitched battle against superior numbers. Grover's men had taken the strategic position they sought. This victory, along with the one at Fort Bisland, two days earlier, assured the success of the expedition into west Louisiana.
Army of the Gulf—Major GeneralNathaniel P. Banks
19th Corps — Major GeneralNathaniel P. Banks
District of West Louisiana - Major GeneralRichard Taylor
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the National Park Service
29°48′42″N91°27′41″W / 29.8116°N 91.4615°W /29.8116; -91.4615
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