<div><strong>Milliken’s Bend</strong> might be the most important battle of the American Civil War that you’ve never heard of. <strong>You can help support telling this important story on a new historical marker to be placed near Tallulah, Louisiana.</strong>
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<div>Just approved by the Louisiana Department of Tourism, the next step is to raise the money which will enable this marker to be cast and installed.
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<div>The marker text as approved reads as follows:
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<div>FRONT SIDE
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<div>BATTLE OF MILLIKEN’S BEND
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<div>Four miles east on June 7, 1863,
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<div>Confederate troops from Texas attacked a
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<div>Union outpost on the Mississippi River.
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<div>It was guarded by the “African Brigade”
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<div>composed of former slaves, and supported
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<div>by two gunboats and 120 men of the 23rd
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<div>Iowa Infantry. The Confederates were unable
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<div>to take the position despite vicious hand-
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<div>to-hand combat. Casualties shocked both
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<div>sides. Some units lost half their force.
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<div>The US 9th Louisiana Infantry African
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<div>Descent and 23rd Iowa had some of the
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<div>highest losses in the Vicksburg Campaign.
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<div>BACK SIDE
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<div>What happened at Milliken's Bend had a
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<div>significant impact on the Civil War,
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<div>despite being a small battle. Skeptics
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<div>learned that Freedmen would fight with
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<div>courage and determination. Recruiting for
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<div>the US Colored Troops surged. Accusations
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<div>of executions and re-enslavement of
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<div>prisoners by Confederate forces prompted
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<div>a US Congressional investigation leading
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<div>to the suspension of prisoner exchanges.
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<div>Nearby, Federally-operated plantations
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<div>that paid wages to laborers were a fore-
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<div>runner of the Freedmen's Bureau.
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<div>Fundraising details:
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<div>This fundraiser is being undertaken by Linda Barnickel, author of the award-winning book, Milliken's Bend: A Civil War Battle in History and Memory. A special account has been created, known as the Milliken's Bend Marker Fund. Sorry, donations are not tax deductible.
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<div>You can learn more about <a href="https://www.lindabarnickel.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Linda</a> or <a href="https://www.millikensbend.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milliken's Bend</a> by visiting her websites. You can also learn more at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/historyculture/battle-of-millikens-bend-june-7-1863.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vicksburg National Military Park</a> .
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<div>Thank you so much for your interest and support in ensuring that more people know about this important story!
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Sheila Sikora

Mary Helen Thompson

Gary T Butler

Alex Pufhal

Linda Houck

Lorien Foote

Timmy G Tedrick

Janet Ott

Edea Baldwin

Isaiah Tadlock

Pauline McKee

Vinson Miller

Beth Kruse

mike mckeown

Tracey Howerton

New Historical Marker for Milliken's Bend

New Historical Marker for Milliken's Bend

Still $2,370 to go. Help us build momentum.