Battle of Pleasant Hill

The Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought on April 9, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War, near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, between Union forces led by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and Confederate forces, led by Major General Richard Taylor.

The battle was essentially a continuation of the previous day’s Battle of Mansfield, fought nearby, which ended around sunset due to darkness. The night time provided a brief interlude in hostilities. On April 9, Taylor launched an ambitious assault against the newly reinforced Federals at Pleasant Hill and had the upper hand before General Thomas J. Churchill’s Arkansas division was flanked on its right and repulsed. After the battle, the Federals remained demoralized and unconfident in their commander; they retreated to Grand Ecore, and from there to Alexandria. This was the largest battle fought west of the Mississippi River.

Officially, the battle was a Union victory; as the Confederates were successfully driven from the field. However, because Banks and his army had retreated so soon afterwards, many argued over who had really won.