Mansfield State Historic Site

I didn't know anything about this place until my team and I toured it. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about this place! That makes anyone who goes to visit feel the same way. I definitely encourage anyone who likes to explore to come visit this place!
5 8 years ago (10-03-2018)

Mansfield is one of my favorite sites to visit. This battle is a great representative microcosm of the war. The monument is kind of small, and includes the pivotol culmination point of the battle, but it provides a great opportunity to you the significant and key Terrain. The battlefield is well-marked and laid out around the visitor center. Walking the checkpoints gives you a great understanding of how contact developed into a set battle. The Visitor Center personnel do a great job of helping explain the series of events leading up. It's one of the Great under told stories of the war and deserves a lot more recognition than it gets. Making the trip to visit the battlefield should be done in conjunction with a visit to Pleasant Hill about a half hour drive to the South where the campaign of the Union assault of the Red River was stopped and turned around.
5 8 years ago (12-03-2018)

On April 8,1864 an approximate force of 25,000 Union Infantry, Cavalry & Artillery supported by a large Union flotilla in Red River were stopped cold and driven back by a Confederate Army of much smaller size. This is the stopping point of the North's last great attempt to invade Texas. Here two opposing generals who had fought against each other in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, CS Gen. Richard Taylor & US Gen. Nathaniel Banks would face off again in one last bloody struggle before the war's end. Mansfield State Historic Park is the most Northern point of march by the Union Army attempting to capture Shreveport, LA and enter Texas through the backdoor. Here is where the long retreating Confederate Army turned, fought and drove the Yankees back defeating them 3 times in 3 phases of battle that lasted deep into the night. Three days of fighting, April 7,8&9, 1864 took place to and from this location culminating in the largest Civil War Battle fought West of the Mississippi River at Pleasant Hill, LA. The turning point of the Red River Campaign happened on this field. Mansfield State Park preserves a part of the much larger battlefield. The Visitors Center & Museum offer an Orientation Film, Interpretive displays of artifacts, 3 original cannon used in the battle, picnicking area, clean restrooms & a drinking fountain. The battlefield has signs & monuments to assist the visitor. A small research library is in the Visitors Center. Park Rangers on site are knowledgeable and very helpful with not only the park & battlefield details but also the location of skirmishes & battles associated with this Campaign. On this field a notable but under reported event took place. Soldiers under the command of CS Gen. Alfred Mouton made a charge that was as statistically deadly as Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg! Whether you are a student, expert or tourist of Civil War Sites the Mansfield State Park is a "must visit" location. NOTE: Relic diggers & Collectors, should you find a Civil War Artifact of any kind please take it to the Park Visitors Center. Ranger Scott works well with private collectors. He encourages you to add your find to the Park's map so that something as simple as a Minie Ball will add to the body of Archaeological knowledge that they keep on file. He doesn't want your find he simply wants to map your find so that the data base is as complete as possible!!! Let's work together to save our History!!!
5 8 years ago (20-04-2018)

A truly spiritual experience. A veritable cemetery. I encourage others to visit this site.
5 8 years ago (25-02-2018)

Small museum, interesting piece of history with some original documents and clothing. Staff members are wishing to help.
4 8 years ago (18-03-2018)