UP THE RED RIVER

On this day the 16th Ohio, on board the steamship John H. Groesbeck, travelled up the Mississippi River from south of Baton Rouge, north to the mouth of the Red River in Louisiana. The boat arrived at Red River about 11:00 pm and moved up to the mouth of Black Bayou where it stopped for the night. It's final destination was Alexandria, Louisiana, where the troops would disembark and join the forces of Gen. Nathaniel Banks, now defending the town against an attacking Confederate force under Rebel General Richard Taylor. Cpl. Theodore Wolbach describes the day:

On the morning of the 25th we passed Baton Rouge, where many of our old comrades of the 22d Kentucky and 42d Ohio came down to the river's edge and cheered us. That evening we entered the mouth of Red river and ascended to the mouth of Black Bayou, about ten miles from the Mississippi. We lay here quietly till morning...

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This period military map shows the approximate position the 16th Ohio, on board a transport steamship, reached about midnight on April 25, 1864, en route to Alexandria, Louisiana.

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Wide view modern day map showing the estimated route and location of the 16th Ohio on board the steamship John H. Groesbeck on its voyage from New Orleans, north toward Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 25, 1864.

A - New Orleans, Louisiana, where the 16th Ohio began its trip on the morning of April 24, 1864.
B - Estimated location of the 16th Ohio on board the steamship John H. Groesbeck at the end of the day on April 24, 1864.
C - Location of the 16th Ohio on board the steamship John H. Groesbeck on the Red River at the mouth of Black Bayou (River) at the end of the day on April 25, 1864.