Battle of Fort Bisland The Battle of Fort Bisland was fought in the American Civil War between Union Major General Nathaniel P . Banks against Confederate Major General Richard Taylor during Banks ' operations against the Bayou Teche region in southern Louisiana . Prelude . When Banks was made commander of the XIX Army Corps , Department of the Gulf , on December 16 , 1862 , he was ordered to coordinate an attack against the Confederate bastion of Port Hudson while General Ulysses S . Grant moved against Vicksburg . Banks made preparations for this campaign , but he knew the difficulties he would face on the march there . First , the area from New Orleans , was marshy , full of swamps , and disease would be rampant . There was also another obstacle in Bank ' s path — General Richard Taylor ' s small Army of Western Louisiana . Banks formulated a plan that would take the XIX Corps to Alexandria , securing the Bayou Teche region that was laden with natural forage and unused supplies . He would establish supply depots along the way and then would move from Alexandria against Port Hudson . However , the quick movement he hoped for was slowed by Taylor ' s small army in a series of attacks , beginning with Fort Bisland , located in St . Mary Parish , Louisiana . Battle . When Banks departed New Orleans , he planned to capture Taylor ' s army in its entirety . On April 9 , two divisions from the XIX Corps crossed Berwick Bay from Brashear City ( present day Morgan City , Louisiana ) to the west side at Berwick . On April 11 , Banks began his advance in earnest . Taylor was well aware of Banks ' advance because of successful scouting by his cavalry under Brig . Gen . Thomas Green . Green shadowed Banks ' army and reported back to Taylor every detail of the maneuvers of the Union army . On April 12 , Banks sent a third division , under Brig . Gen . Cuvier Grover , up the Atchafalaya River to land in the rear of Franklin , intending to intercept a Confederate retreat from Fort Bisland or turn the enemy ' s position . General Taylor sent some of Green ' s cavalry to the front to ascertain the enemy ' s strength and slow his advance . He also sent troops under Brig . Gen . Alfred Mouton to impede the advance of Grover ' s division . Late in the day , Union troops of Brig . Gen . William H . Emory ' s division arrived and formed a battle line outside the Fort Bisland ' s defenses . An artillery barrage ensued from both sides until dark when the Federal troops fell back to camp for the night . About 9 : 00 a . m . on April 13 , Union forces again advanced on Fort Bisland . Banks had three brigades under in position south of the Bayou Teche . The brigades were deployed with Godfrey Weitzel on the left , Halbert E . Paine on the right ( anchored on Bayou Teche ) with Timothy Ingraham in support . Opposing the Union forces south of the Teche was the " Arizona Brigade " commanded by Brig . Gen . Henry Hopkins Sibley . North of Bayou Teche was the Union brigade of Oliver P . Gooding who faced off against Mouton ' s Confederate brigade . Combat did not begin until after 11 : 00 a . m . and continued until dusk . In addition to Confederate forces in the earthworks , the gunboat " Diana " , which had been captured and was now in Confederate hands , shelled the Union troops . U . S . gunboats joined the fray in late afternoon . By early evening , fire had halted . Later that night , Taylor learned that the Union division that went up the Atchafalaya and landed in his rear was now in a position to cut off a Confederate retreat . Taylor began evacuating supplies , men , and weapons , leaving a small force to slow any enemy movement . The next morning , Banks and his men found the fort abandoned . Aftermath . Fort Bisland was the only fortification that could have impeded this Union offensive , and it had fallen . Banks continued his march up Bayou Teche after this initial battle onward to his ultimate objective of Alexandria , Louisiana . Taylor would slow Banks again a few days later at the Battle of Irish Bend . Opposing Forces . Union . Army of the Gulf - Major General Nathaniel P . Banks Confederate . District of West Louisiana - Major General Richard Taylor