Battle of Ponchatoula | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
United States (Union) | Confederate States | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Nathaniel P. Banks Thomas W. Sherman Thomas S. Clark |
John C. Pemberton Horace H. Miller | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
6th Michigan Infantry 9th Connecticut 14th Maine 24th Maine 165th New York Infantry 177th New York |
1st Choctaw Battalion 1st Mississippi Cavalry 14th Mississippi Cavalry 14th Mississippi Infantry 20th Mississippi Infantry | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,200 (estimated) | 400 (estimated) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Union Report: 0 killed; 9 wounded Confederate Report: 18 killed; 36 wounded (estimated) |
Union Report: 3 killed; 11 wounded Confederate Report: 0 killed; several wounded |
The Battle of Ponchatoula was a battle in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and Ponchatoula Creek at the onset of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Fought from March 24 to March 26, 1863, the battle was part of an offensive campaign waged by the Union's 6th Michigan, 9th Connecticut, 14th Maine, 24th Maine, 165th New York Zouaves, and 77th New York infantry against Confederate troops to capture Ponchatoula for the Union and destroy the town's railroad bridge.[1] This was ultimately a failure by the Union, as the outcome of the battle led to the Confederates regaining control of Ponchatoula.