Following the Siege of Vicksburg, Union Major General Francis J. Herron's Division of the Army of the Frontier was transferred down the Mississippi River to become a part of the 13th Corps.

Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks had been ordered to invade and “plant the Flag in Texas”, which plans resulted in the Second Battle of Sabine Pass on September 8, 1863.

A small provisional brigade was formed consisting of the 19th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Maj. John Bruce, the 26th Indiana Infantry Regiment under Col. A.D. Rose, a section of Battery B, 1st Missouri Light Artillery, and a battalion of the 6th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry under Major Samuel Montgomery.

Just west of Norwoods, the Opelousas Road forked to the northwest, crossed the Fordoche, and ran on to the Atchafalaya across from present day Melville, Louisiana.

[3] Shortly after leaving Morganza, the force encountered Confederate pickets and skirmished with them throughout the day until they reached the Norwood plantation, about six miles from the Archafalaya, where they went into camp.

On the evening of the 15th Leake learned from local people that an attack was expected which resulted in his withdrawing north two miles to the Stirling plantation and establishing his camps there.

This position, though better than Norwoods, still had defects due to the roads that gave the Confederates easy ability to move around the federal position.A levee ran along the east side of the road by the Stirling plantation, and Leake had a gap cut in it north of the house so that artillery could be moved through it if necessary.

Mouton had realized the opportunity to gobble up this small force and on the 19th had ordered Green to plan an attack, with the final decision made on the 25th.

On the morning of the 29th Mouton's and Speight's brigades were sent by a trail through the woods and swamps that intersected the Opelousas road about two miles north of the Stirling plantation.

Mouton was to remain in this position to block any relief force that might be sent from Morganza, and Speight's brigade would launch the primary attack on Leakes right and rear.

The 26th Indiana was then posted to the left of the 19th, facing west, and ordered to fire obliquely to the right.For some reason, the artillery had not made it to the gap in the levee and were being moved by hand among the outbuildings behind the house, where they were totally useless.

Seeing the change in front, the Confederates now moved to their right and poured through the gap in the levee, attempting to turn the left flank of the 19th.

Additionally, the Confederates took two 10-pounder Parrott rifled guns with caissons, two new ambulances, one hospital wagon loaded with medical supplies, and all of the arms of the captured men.