Early in the morning of May 21, 1863, Major General Christopher
C. Augur's Union division advanced from Baton Rouge toward the
intersection of Plains Store and Bayou Sara roads on the way to
secure a landing, on the river, for Major General Nathaniel
Banks. Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson's cavalry, in the lead,
encountered Confederate forces under the command of Colonel
Frank P. Powers and skirmishing ensued. As the morning
progressed the Union infantry approached the crossroads and came
under fire, bringing on a general engagement. At noon, Colonel
W.R. Miles set out for Plains Store with Confederate
reinforcements. By the time that Miles arrived in the area late
in the day, the fighting had ceased, the Rebel forces had
retreated, and the Federals were preparing camps for the night.
Miles attacked the Union forces and, at first, drove them, but
they regrouped and counterattacked. Miles could not stand
against the overwhelming Union force and retired into the Port
Hudson perimeter. The battle ended, and the las