part of porter's large fleet became trapped above the falls at alexandria by low water, engineered by confederate action. banks and others approved a plan proposed by joseph bailey to build wing dams as a means to raise what little water was left in the channel. in ten days, 10,000 troops built two dams, and managed to rescue porter's fleet, allowing all to retreat to the mississippi river. after the campaign, general william t. sherman famously said of the red river campaign that it was "one damn blunder from beginning to end", and banks earned the dislike and loss of respect of his officers and rank and file for his mishandling of the campaign. on hearing of banks's retreat in late april, grant wired chief of staff halleck asking for banks to be removed from command. the confederates held the red river for the remainder of the war.