Grant's March in Louisiana site photos


(March 1995) Madison Parish Court House, Tallulah, LA. Site Marker: Tallulah was founded in 1857. In 1862 it was an important telegraph and railroad station on the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Texas Railroad. On August 18, 1862, the depot, telegraph office, and several railroad cars were destroyed by a small detachment of Federal troops under Col. W. D. Bowen. The depot contained a large amount of sugar and supplies for the Confederate Army Confederate Monument in background		(March 2009) Enlarge Confluence of Roundaway and Walnut Bayous at site of wartime Richmond, LA. South Bayou Drive, Tallulah. View is looking southeast across Roundaway Bayou. Walnut Bayou flows from the left and ends here

(March 2009) Enlarge Roundaway Bayou at site of wartime Richmond. View looking east from about a hundred yards south of the bridge

Two historical markers at this site. Site Marker One: BURNING OF RICHMOND... During the second week of May, 1863, the Federals abandoned their supply line connecting Milliken's Bend with Hard Times. On June 4, the Confederates reoccupied Richmond. From Richmond, Gen. Dick Taylor launched an offensive to destroy the Union bases at Lake Providence, Milliken's Bend, and Young's Point. When these attacks failed, Taylor hastened to south Louisiana. Gen. J. J. Walker was left in charge of Confederate efforts to relieve Vicksburg from the west. Before Walker could act, the Federals sent a strong force, led by Gen. J.A. Mower, into Madison Parish. On June 15, the Federals moved against Walker's command. Following a brief rear guard action fought about three-quarters of a mile north of this point, the Confederates evacuated Richmond. Before returning to his base, Mower has his soldiers burn Richmond. The town was never rebuilt. Site Marker Two: SKIRMISH AT RICHMOND... Col. T.W. Bennett's task force, which had been sent to reconnoiter the route from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage, reached this point at 2:00 P.M. on March 31, 1863. If the Federals were to occupy Richmond, they would first have to cross Roundaway Bayou. Troopers from Maj. I.F. Harrison's 15th Louisiana Cavalry held the town. Bennett called for his engineers to man their yawls. As soon as the small boats were launched, a number of infantry boarded. Supported by the fire of their comrades, the Federals established a bridgehead on the opposite side of the bayou. After a sharp skirmish, the Federals scattered Harrison's Confederates and occupied Richmond. At this point three days later the Union engineers built a bridge 200 feet long across Roundaway Bayou. Materials for the bridge were obtained by tearing down a number of log houses in Richmond


(March 2009) Enlarge Confluence of Roundaway and Walnut Bayous at site of wartime Richmond. View looking south across Roundaway Bayou		(March 2009) Enlarge Looking north from about a hundred yards south of the bridge