On October 9, 1863 a skirmish with Confederate & Federal cavalry occurred at the same location.

[5] After Nathaniel Prentice Banks had outmaneuvered Richard Taylor's Army of Western Louisiana out from the Bayou Teche region, he continued his movements towards his main objective of Alexandria, Louisiana.

As Richard Taylor's small army was withdrawing up the Teche, they crossed a bridge going over Vermilion Bayou.

In order to slow Banks' army down, Taylor's men lit the bridge on fire and stopped for a rest.

As soon as the first column came within sight of the bridge, Confederate artillery began shelling the Union soldiers.