Exhibit: Louisiana in the Civil War, 1864

One hundred and fifty years ago, the Civil War continued to disrupt life in Louisiana. Federal forces under Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks and Admiral David D. Porter launched the Red River Campaign in an attempt to capture Shreveport and east Texas. They were successfully opposed by a much smaller Confederate force under Gen. Richard Taylor, but on their way up the Red River they devastated much of central Louisiana.

Also during 1864, Unionists in New Orleans wrote a new state Constitution and elected government officials, while the Confederate state government still ruled from Shreveport.

The current display in the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room continues Dupré Library’s series on Louisiana in the Civil War, focusing on events in 1864. The exhibit includes first-hand accounts, unit histories and scholarly studies, and artists’ sketches as published in northern illustrated magazines. Materials on display are drawn from the holdings of the Louisiana Room and the Acadiana Manuscripts Collection. The exhibit was curated by Jean S. Kiesel, Louisiana Room Librarian (larm@louisiana.edu; 337.482.1164).

“Louisiana in the Civil War, 1864” will remain on display through the end of June. It is free and open to the public. Check library hours & holidays: http://library.louisiana.edu/Circ/hours.shtml. The Jefferson Caffery Reading Room is closed on holiday weekends. Its hours are listed under Louisiana Room/Special Collections on the Library Hours webpage. To confirm hours, call 337.482.6031.