May 21, 1864

END OF THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN

On this day, the 16th Ohio and Banks' army continued marching through the early morning hours, arriving on the banks of the Mississippi River at daylight. It is assumed the troops rested for some time before resuming their march south toward Morganza Bend, Louisiana. Cpl. Theodore Wolbach, Company E, tells us:

On the 21st we passed many gigantic trees. We measured several. The largest was thirty-three feet in circumference. In the evening we camped on the banks of the Mississippi; received a very large mail with abundance of news from Grant's campaign against Lee in Virginia. Our retreat was now ended, the enemy having abandoned the pursuit, in force, back at the Atchafalaya.

Other reports say the regiment marched all day of the 21st and nearly all night and then camped.

The point at which the 16th Ohio camped on the night of May 21, 1864, is highly estimated in the maps below. There is, however, some evidence on a military map showing this particular route used by Banks' forces during the Red River Campaign.

This period map shows the approximate route taken by the 16th Ohio and other troops under Gen. Nathaniel Banks as they moved east and south from their crossing of the Atchafalaya River at Simmesport, Louisiana, to Morganza Bend, Louisiana, along the Mississippi River arriving late on May 21, 1864.

Modern day close view map showing the approximate route taken by the 16th Ohio and other troops under Gen. Nathaniel Banks as they crossed the Atchafalaya River and moved east and south toward a campsite at Morganza Bend, Louisiana.

K - Location of the steamboat bridge where the 16th Ohio and all of Gen. Nathaniel Banks' troops crossed the Atchafalaya River on May 20, 1864, at Simmesport, Louisiana.
L - Estimated location of the 16th Ohio at midnight on May 20, 1864, on its all night march toward the Mississippi River.
M - Estimated location of the 16th Ohio on the morning of May 21, 1864, after its all night march toward the Mississippi River.
N - Estimated location of the 16th Ohio late in the day on May 21, 1864, when it set up camp near Morganza Bend, Louisiana, on the Mississippi River.