Mansura LA022

supportedunresolved Irwin says that apart from the artillery smoke the whole lines of both armies were in plain sight. Two days earlier Taylor wrote that reports of the dam at the falls were so contradictory he did not know what to believe; on the 16th he reports long lines of infantry demonstrating against his left at 10 a.m.

Attributed observation from a history and interested dispatches.

supportedunresolved Taylor says 313 wagons accompanied the Union column from Alexandria, that most of his guns were captured Union pieces, and that his trains lay behind his left near Evergreen; on May 10 he wrote that he had no line of supplies or base. Irwin says the Union troops afterward found the first fresh, clear water they had seen for many weeks.

Train and equipment statements; no supply return.

supportedunresolved NPS says Taylor sought to slow, deplete or destroy the retreating force and hoped his artillery could cause many casualties. Taylor wrote that he would not attempt a general battle but would harass the enemy to the Mississippi and force him to destroy property. Irwin says the Union march followed the river to cover the fleet's withdrawal.

Stated aims from a summary, an interested dispatch and a history.

supportedpost_outcome The frozen result reads Union victory and the live result Union Victory. Taylor says his men withdrew in good order and the road to Simsport was left open; Irwin and NPS say the Confederates fell back when the Union lines advanced or massed for a flank attack.

Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit.

supportedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads Unknown and the live field reads zero (US 0; CS 0). Irwin says Banks's losses were small except for Haskin's horse battery, and Taylor that his thin line offered a small mark. No inspected passage gives a figure for either side.

Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap. The live zero is not measured absence.

supportedunresolved Irwin says Banks marched from Alexandria with Lawler, Emory and A. J. Smith's divisions and that Taylor prudently withdrew when the Union lines advanced; Taylor places Bagby and Major on his right and Polignac with Debray on his left. The frozen commanders are Major Generals Taylor and Banks, as on the live page.

Command roles from a history and an interested dispatch; the listed commanders do not receive automatic sole credit.

unknownunresolved

No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. The frozen side-specific numerical strength bounds are blank (missing_numeric_strength). No figure in this pass is adopted as a simultaneous opening force.

disputedunresolved The frozen force field reads Banks's Red River Expeditionary Force [US] and District of West Louisiana [CS]; the live field reads zero. Taylor's May 16 dispatch says the enemy probably had 16,000 men on the field and perhaps more, and lists nineteen guns on his right and thirteen on his left; on May 14 he wrote of his little force against four times their number, and on May 10 of scarce 6,000 men. Irwin says the disparity in numbers was too great for Taylor to do more than make a show of resistance, and lists the Union infantry divisions in line.

Interested estimates from different dates and a retrospective judgment; no return. None is adopted as a matched opening strength. The live zero is not measured absence.

supportedunresolved Taylor calls the prairie smooth as a billiard table and an admirable field for artillery; Irwin describes the wide, rolling prairie of Avoyelles, on which both armies' lines were in plain sight; NPS says the prairie controlled access to the three roads crossing the area.

Ground described by an interested dispatch, a history and a summary; no map verification.