Did You Know Shreveport Was Once the Capital of Louisiana?

While the current perception of Shreveport might be somewhat tainted, especially by outsiders who only believe what they might have read, there was a time when the eyes of the entire world were on our fair city.

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Some might belittle us with nicknames like "Ratchet City", "Sleezeport", or "Shreve-pit", but those might not realize Shreveport's history of overcoming extreme obstacles that made this little spot on the Red River one of Louisiana's largest cities.

In fact, from the very beginning, Shreveport had to take on the aftermath of Mother Nature with the clearing of the "Great Raft" on the Red River by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, just to get things started.

READ MORE: The 13 Foods That Made Louisiana 4th Fattest City in America

After that, and much less known, was Shreveport's pivotal role in the "War Between The States."

According to legendsofamerica.com, the battle in the Red River Valley centering on the Union's attempt to capture Shreveport would ultimately prove to be the last decisive victory for the Confederate Army in the entire Civil War.

I've lived here my entire life. Took my Louisiana History class in the 8th grade and to the best of knowledge, was never given this little tidbit about my own hometown.

As the story goes, Shreveport was of great interest to the Union army as it served as the capital of the Confederate Louisiana (never knew that either) and as headquarters of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi.

Adding to the Union's interest in our area was the fact that Shreveport was also home to a number of armories, foundries and a Confederate naval shipyard. (And yet another fact I never learned in Louisiana history)

It was of such interest to the Union forces, they committed 30,000 Union soldiers to what was known as the Red River Campaign which began 159 years ago this month and ran from March 2 to May 20, 1864.

With considerably less forces, numbering from 6,000 to 15,000, the Confederate Army, under the command of General Richard Taylor, would ultimately prove victorious in what the history books say is one of the largest Army-Navy operations of the war.

The Red River Campaign was deemed a Union failure in which none of its objectives were ever completely achieved.

So, while our reputation might have suffered a black eye in these last few rounds, there was a time when Shreveport was the golden gloves champion for the South.