banks's wife joined him in new orleans, and held lavish dinner parties for the benefit of union soldiers and their families. on april 12, 1864, she played the role of the "goddess of liberty" surrounded by all of the states of the reunited country. she did not then know of her husband's loss at the battle of mansfield three days earlier. by july 4, 1864, however, occupied new orleans had recovered from the red river campaign to hold another mammoth concert extolling the union.