History Shows Just How Important Shreveport Was In Civil War
Though the world's opinion of Shreveport might have lowered over the last couple of decades, this area has certainly seen it's share of high points.
What some now refer to as "Ratchet City", Shreveport is heaped in a history of overcoming extreme obstacles including the clearing of the "Great Raft" on the Red River by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, and Shreveport's pivotal role in the "War Between The States."
According to legendsofamerica.com, the battle in the Red River Valley centering on the Union's attempt to capture Shreveport would ultimately prove to be the last decisive victory for the Confederate Army in the entire Civil War.
I've lived here my entire life. Took my Louisiana History class in the 8th grade and to the best of knowledge, was never given this little tidbit about my own hometown.
As the story goes, Shreveport was of great interest to the Union army as it served as the capital of the Confederate Louisiana (never knew that either) and as headquarters of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi.
Adding to the Union's interest in our area was the fact that Shreveport was also home to a number of armories, foundries and a Confederate naval shipyard. (And yet another fact I never learned in Louisiana history)
It was of such interest to the Union forces, they committed 30,000 Union soldiers to what was known as the Red River Campaign which began 159 years ago this month and ran from March 2 to May 20, 1864.
With considerably less forces, numbering from 6,000 to 15,000, the Confederate Army, under the command of General Richard Taylor, would ultimately prove victorious in what the history books say is one of the largest Army-Navy operations of the war.
The Red River Campaign was deemed a Union failure in which none of its objectives were ever completely achieved.