The objective of the Union troops was to sabotage the Manchac bridge and to possibly capture Confederate Brig.

Gen. M. Jeff Thompson was ordered during his command held at Ponchatoula to repair the railroad bridge in Pass Manchac.

He therefore concocted a plan and ordered Maj. George C. Strong to destroy the railroad bridge and to capture Brig.

[1][2] For this engagement, General Butler planned a strategic attack in which he would send the USS New London filled with troops to land at Manchac Pass.

At daybreak, this unit would destroy the Manchac railroad bridge and push the enemy soldiers northward right into town.

The boat made several attempts to cross the bar and found only five feet of water to float in, plus the cover of darkness was more of an obstacle than of help.

[4] After two failed attempts to maneuver the ships for landing at their specific locations, Maj. Strong ordered the Ceres to Manchac Bridge on the morning of September 15 while the USS New London anchored in the lake.

9 miles later as the two companies of about 125 strong grew closer to town, they were spotted by a locomotive, the men fired on the train which was headed to Camp Moore.

The Confederate positions then became overwhelmed with Union gunfire that their artillery retreated into the northwestern direction of the woods with the infantry shortly following.

After the retreat, soldiers of the 12th Maine set ablaze a train of 20 cars carrying cotton, sugar, and molasses.

The troops led by Col. Allen R. Witt of the 10th Arkansas drew back the enemy and retook the batteries resuming artillery fire.

Private Elmore Dane of the 26th Massachusetts had this to say about the final moments of this engagement...[7][8] "Out of 125 men, 40 were killed, wounded, and missing—almost 50 percent of our number.

6 months later the new federal commanding officer Gen. Nathaniel Banks heard a rumor of a possible arrival by Gen. Stonewall Jackson at Camp Moore, with over 30,000 men.

Fearing another reprisal to retake New Orleans, he would plan another expedition into the town of Ponchatoula to destroy the railways from being used by the Confederates to attack the crescent city.