A battlefield , battleground , or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare . It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troops covering broad geographic areas. Although the term implies that battles are typically fought in a field – an open stretch of level ground – it applies to any type of terrain on which a battle is fought. The term can also have legal significance, and battlefields may have substantial historical and cultural value—the battlefield has been described as "a place where ideals and loyalties are put to the test". Various acts and treaties restrict certain belligerent conduct to an identified battlefield. Other legal regimes promote the preservation of certain battlefields as sites of historic importance.
60-780: The Mansfield State Historic Site , also known as the Mansfield Battlefield , is a battlefield in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana . The Louisiana state historic site commemorates the Battle of Mansfield fought on Friday, April 8, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War . The site was listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Mansfield Battle Park in 1973. Established in 1924 by
120-453: A balanced budget . A veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature. The governor is also empowered to call the legislature into special session at their discretion to consider matters of their choosing. Article 4, Section 14 of the state constitution enumerates the line of succession in the event there is a permanent vacancy in the governor's office. The position of governor passes sequentially as follows: first to
180-404: A trophy on the field of battle, initially of arms stripped from the defeated enemy. Later these trophies might be replaced by more permanent memorials in stone or bronze. Another means by which historic battles are commemorated is historical reenactment . Such events are typically held at the location of the original battle, but if circumstances make that inconvenient, reenactors may replicate
240-401: A battle, one has to understand the battlefield. Some maps may indicate battlefield sites with a crossed-sword signifier (⚔). Many battlefields from specific historic battles are preserved as historic landmarks. The study area of a battlefield includes all places related to contributing to the battle event: where troops deployed and maneuvered before, during, and after the engagement; it is
300-439: A battlefield, in the industrial age, may be a railway line or a highway As technology grows more sophisticated, the length of the "tail", upon which the troops at the front depend, gets longer, and the number of places a battle can be decided (beyond the immediate point of contact) grows. The concept of the battlefield arises at various points in the law of war , the international law and custom governing geographic restrictions on
360-479: A gently inclined ground, favourable for attack as well as defence; farther, if the lines lean on villages and woods, each of which forms, by its saliency, a sort of defensive bastion, the army becomes almost impregnable, without being reduced to inaction. During World War I, for instance, the An Nafud behind Aqaba seemed impassible, until a force of Arab rebels led by T. E. Lawrence successfully crossed it to capture
420-480: A perfection rarely obtained. Rome had the same preference. By the 20th Century, many military organizations had specialist units, trained to fight in particular geographic areas, like mountains (Alpine units), desert (such as the LRDG ), or jungle (such as Britain's Chindits and later U.S. Special Forces ), or on skis. Others were trained for delivery by aircraft ( air portable ), glider , or parachute ( airborne ); after
480-459: A speech and followed by a ball . The governor is the chief executive of state government in Louisiana, though they share executive authority with other elected officials. They are empowered to request agency heads in state government to report to them on subjects relating to the operation of governmental departments. They are ex officio commander in chief of Louisiana's armed forces—except when
540-541: A stand, as Banks's men would be forced to approach the area on a single road, while multiple roads would be available between Mansfield and Shreveport, including one that could be protected by the Union naval fleet. On April 8, Taylor arrayed his forces along a clearing near the road leading to Mansfield from the southeast. Leading elements of Banks's army made contact with the Confederates and deployed into an angled line, setting
600-415: Is chosen deliberately, either by agreement of the two sides or, more commonly, by the commander of one side, who attempts to either initiate an attack on terrain favorable to the attack, or position forces on ground favorable to defense, if anticipating an attack. Although many battlefields arise in the course of military operations, there have been a number of occasions where formal conventions have ordained
660-403: Is no firm legal direction regarding temporary succession in the event both the governor and lieutenant governor are out of state at the same time, in practice the position of acting governor is passed down the line of succession enumerated for permanent vacancies. The office of the governor is made up of several departments: Chief of Staff's Office, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Special Assistants to
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#1733093460958720-495: Is the chief executive of the U.S. state government of Louisiana . The governor also serves as the commander in chief of the Louisiana National Guard . Republican Jeff Landry has held the office since January 8, 2024. Louisiana ratified its first constitution in 1812. The document provided for a governor who would serve a four-year term and was responsible for appointing all non-elected state officials, making
780-423: Is typically the location of large numbers of deaths. Given the intensity of combat, it may not be possible to easily retrieve bodies from the battlefield leading to the observation that "[a] battlefield is a graveyard without the gravestones". Ammunition remains and war material are still found today on battlefields and front lines from World War I and World War II . In particular, the battlefields and positions in
840-604: The Prince de Polignac , a Confederate officer, was erected at the site. This was the first monument at the site. That same year, state congressman W. H. Farmer introduced legislation to provide $ 5,000 of state funds for the site. Governor of Louisiana Henry L. Fuqua signed Farmer's bill into law in July. In 1928, work on a $ 1,000 archway at the park was begun. By 1929, the site had become a place for local youth to go and engage in petting . The Works Progress Administration performed work at
900-700: The United Daughters of the Confederacy , the site was transferred to the state of Louisiana in 1954. In early 1864, during the American Civil War , Union leadership planned a joint Army-Navy drive up the Red River of the South in Confederate -held Louisiana . The planned campaign had both political, economic, and strategic goals. It was hoped that Union military presence in the area would prevent collaboration between
960-408: The 1960s, governors assumed responsibility over executing federally-funded programs. In 1966, the state constitution was amended to permit governors to seek consecutive terms in office. The 1974 constitution imposed term limits on the governor and weakened the qualifications for candidates seeking the office. Only qualified voters in Louisiana are eligible to be elected governor. Any candidates for
1020-523: The Alps from World War I , which were often exposed, were only partially cleared and fatal accidents continue to happen because mountaineers and climbers collect ammunition. Battlefields can host memorials to the battles that took place there. These might commemorate the event itself or those who fell in the battle. This practice has a long history. It was common among the Ancient Greeks and Romans to raise
1080-579: The American Civil War, rail transport influenced where and how battles would be, could be, fought, as did telegraphic communication. This was a major factor in the execution of the German invasion of France in WW1: German forces could only travel as far from railheads as their ability to transport fodder allowed; the ambitious plan was doomed before it launched. Single battles, such as Cambrai , can depend on
1140-657: The Confederacy and the French, who had begun intervening in Mexico ; expand Union political control in the region; and provide cotton, at that time a valuable commodity, to business interests in New England . The planned expedition, which became known as the Red River campaign , began in March 1864. The army elements were commanded by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks , while the naval elements were led by Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter . To
1200-519: The Governor, Communications and Press, Constituent Services, Legal, Legislative Affairs, Policy, Programs and Planning, the Office of Coastal Activities, Boards and Commissions, Finance and Administration, and the Office of Elderly Affairs. There are 12 executive agencies under the governor's purview. The appointed secretaries which lead the agencies constitute the governor's cabinet. The governor's compensation
1260-517: The UDC being unable to provide their desired level of maintenance, and attempts to make the site a national park had failed. The state allocated additional funds for a museum, and surveying for the museum site began the next year. The museum was dedicated in 1957. In 1964, festivities, to involve people from both Louisiana and Texas , were planned for the 100th anniversary of the battle. That same year, another marker, this one honoring Texas troops who fought in
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#17330934609581320-496: The Welsh longbowmen or Mongol horse archers ) from ancient times well into the 1400s, while slightly later, it would be to riflemen .) Rogniat describes a "disadvantageous field of battle" as one: which is everywhere seen and commanded from heights within cannon and musket shot, and which is encumbered with marshes, rivers, ravines, and defiles of every kind. The enemy moves upon it with difficulty, even in column; he cannot deploy for
1380-437: The assailants a field of battle abounding with obstacles and defiles, but without offering at the same time, in the rear, favourable ground for the deployment of the defenders; these could then only act upon it with difficulty, and would be forced to fight the assailants in the defiles themselves, without any advantage. In general, the best positions are those, the flanks of which are inaccessible, and which command from their front
1440-920: The battle in an entirely different location. For example, in 1895, members of the Gloucestershire Engineer Volunteers reenacted their famous stand at Rorke's Drift in Africa , 18 years earlier, with the reenactment occurring at the Cheltenham Winter Gardens in England . The first documented Korean War reenactment was held in North Vernon, Indiana , by members of the 20th Century Tactical Studies Group portraying Canadian and North Korean troops, on March 15, 1997. Governor of Louisiana The governor of Louisiana ( French : Gouverneur de la Louisiane ; Spanish : Gobernador de Luisiana )
1500-436: The battle should take place. For example, at the siege of Grancey in 1434, it was agreed that the armies would meet at "the place above Guiot Rigoigne's house on the right side towards Sentenorges, where there are two trees". In a pitched battle , although the battlefield is not formally agreed upon, either side can choose to withdraw rather than engaging in the battle. The occurrence of the battle therefore generally reflects
1560-519: The battle, was erected at the site. In 1972, a scale model of a monument at Gettysburg National Military Park commemorating Louisiana Confederate soldiers was erected at the Mansfield park. On April 13, 1973, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Mansfield Battle Park. By 1982, there were seven Confederate monuments at the park. For a period during 1986 and 1987,
1620-494: The battlefield; it may transpire a few days after the battle, and it may even occur in the total absence of any pitched battle". The locations of ancient battles can be apocryphal. In England, this information has been more reliably recorded since the time of the Norman conquest. Battles are usually named after some feature of the battlefield geography , such as the name of a town, forest or river, commonly prefixed "Battle of...", but
1680-529: The beginnings of their regular sessions. The constitution also obligates the governor to submit an annual operating budget proposal to the legislature as well as a "five-year capital outlay program" during each such session. The governor can exercise veto power over all bills passed by the legislature except proposed constitutional amendments. They have line-item veto power over appropriations bills and are constitutionally obligated to issue line-item vetoes when necessary to ensure that state government operates on
1740-449: The belief by both sides that the battlefield and other circumstances are advantageous for their side. Some locations are chosen for certain features giving advantage to one side or another. In the 1820s, General Joseph Rogiat, of Napoleon Bonaparte 's Grande Armée , spoke at great length of the circumstances that make for a good battlefield. He divided the battlefield in two: one favorable for attack and one for defense, and argued that
1800-441: The contest, and is made to suffer under a shower of projectiles without being able to return evil for evil. This may be called an ideal defensive position, however. He then advises that troops should be situated so that the ground they defend is favorable, while the ground through which the enemy must advance is unfavorable: A position which combines these two kinds of fields of battle is doubly strong, both by its situation, and by
1860-535: The development of helicopters, airmobile forces developed. The increasing number of amphibious assaults , and their particular hazards and problems, led to the development of frogmen (and later SeALs ). These specialist forces opened up new fields of battle, and added new complexities to both attack and defense: when the battlefield ceased to be physically connected to the supply base, as at Arnhem, or in Burma, or in Vietnam,
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1920-517: The first Union line. This line was driven back slightly but held to nightfall. Banks's men withdrew from the field at night. April 9 saw Taylor attack Banks again, in the Battle of Pleasant Hill . The Confederate attacks at Pleasant Hill were blunted, and while modern historians usually consider Pleasant Hill a Union victory, Banks continued to retreat. The Union forces continued to withdraw, pursued by some of Taylor's men, but Banks's army and Porter's fleet were able to escape. The Red River campaign
1980-482: The freedom of maneuver; as a result, when compelled to fight for control of a city, such as Stalingrad or Ortona , weapons, tactics, and training are ill-suited for the environment. Urban combat is the one specialty that has not yet arisen. New technologies also affect where battles are fought. The adoption of chariots makes flat, open battlefields desirable, and larger fields than for infantry alone, as well as offering opportunities to engage an enemy sooner. During
2040-481: The geography of the battlefield could not only dictate how a battle was fought, but with what weapons, and both reinforcement and logistics could be critical. At Arnhem, for instance, there were failures in both, while in Burma, aerial supply deliveries enabled the Chindits to do something that would otherwise have been impossible. Armies generally avoided fighting in cities, when possible, and modern armies dislike giving up
2100-835: The greater the benefit of one over the other, the stronger a position was. He went on to say that easy movement of troops to the front, and distribution of forces across the front, was also important, since this allowed support and reinforcement as needed. He mentions the high ground as a means of observing the enemy, and concealing friendly forces; while this has been mitigated by aerial reconnaissance , improved communication ( field telephones radio ,and indirect fire , it remains important. (For instance, "hull down" firing positions for tanks were desired well into World War II .) Rogiat also discussed cover, in reference to exposure to cannon fire; in earlier times, it would have been to slingers (in Ancient Greek and Roman times) or archers (such as
2160-424: The guard is pressed into federal service—and are authorized to call it into service "to preserve law and order, to suppress insurrection, to repel invasion, or in other times of emergency." They are empowered to grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations to convicted criminals. The governor is constitutionally required to report the legislature on "the affairs of state, including its complete financial condition" at
2220-630: The holder of the office one of the most powerful such executives in the United States at the time. Candidates for the office were limited to white men of at least 35 years of age who held at least $ 5,000 worth in landed property. Popular gubernatorial elections were held, but the Louisiana State Legislature was given the responsibility of deciding the winner from among the two top-performing candidates. Governors were forbidden from holding consecutive terms. William C. C. Claiborne served as
2280-434: The inception of new technology, such as (in this instance) tanks . The synergy between technologies can also affect where battles take place. The arrival of aerial reconnaissance has been credited with the development of trench warfare , while the combination of high explosives in ammunition and hydraulic recoil mechanisms in artillery, added to aircraft observation, made its subsequent spread necessary, and contributed to
2340-552: The lieutenant governor, then the secretary of state, then the attorney general, then the state treasurer, then the presiding officer of the Senate, and finally the Speaker of the House. They serve the remainder of the original governor's term. In the event of the governor's momentary absence from Louisiana, the constitution tasks the lieutenant governor with serving as acting governor. While there
2400-400: The maximum delineation of the historical site and provides more of the tactical context of a battle than does the core area. The core area of a battlefield is within the study area and includes only those places where the combat engagement and key associated actions and features were located; the core area includes, among other things, what often is described as "hallowed ground". A battlefield
2460-420: The name may poorly reflect the actual location of the event. Where documentary sources describe a battle, "whether such references are contemporary or reliable needs to be assessed with care". Locating battlefields is important in attempts to recreate the events of battles: The battlefield is a historical source demanding attention, interpretation and understanding like any written or other account. To understand
Mansfield State Historic Site - Misplaced Pages Continue
2520-495: The nature and site of the battlefield. It has been suggested, on the basis of anthropological research, that ritual warfare involving battles on traditional "fighting grounds", bound by rules to minimise casualties, may have been common among early societies. In the European Middle Ages, formal pre-arrangement of a battlefield occasionally occurred. The Vikings had the concept of the "hazelled field", where an agreed site
2580-611: The north, in Arkansas , the Camden expedition was intended to cooperate with the Red River campaign. Outnumbered, Confederate forces commanded by Major General Richard Taylor withdrew upriver towards the Confederate administrative capital of Shreveport, Louisiana . Taylor halted his men near the community of Mansfield, Louisiana , in early April. He felt that Mansfield was a good place to make
2640-414: The obstacles which cover it. But if it fulfils only one of these conditions, it ceases to be easy of defence. Suppose that a position, for instance, offers to the defenders a field of battle well situated, but admitting of easy access upon all points; the assailants, finding no obstacle to their deployment for the contest, will be able to force it in a tolerably short time. Suppose another position presents to
2700-501: The office must be at least 25 years of age and have resided in the state for the five previous years. Gubernatorial elections in Louisiana occur concurrently with the elections of other statewide officials in the year prior to the United States' next presidential election. The governor serves a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively. There are no limits on nonconsecutive terms. Winning candidates traditionally take office in public inaugural ceremonies accompanied by
2760-455: The site in 1936 and 1937. In 1939, ceremonies, including a luncheon and a tree-planting, were held at the park for the 75th anniversary of the battle. 1954 saw maintenance of the site transfers from the UDC to the Louisiana state government. By that time, the UDC had expanded the park to 44 acres (18 ha), and three additional monuments (to Taylor and two Confederate officers killed in the battle) had been placed. Funding issues had resulted in
2820-421: The site of battles, where, in ancient times, the very idea of contesting a landing was unheard of. The Vietnamese preference for ambush against a more sophisticated opponent was a function of less access to sophisticated technology. As much as technology has changed, terrain still cannot be ignored, because it not only affects movement on the battlefield, but movement to and from it, and logistics are critical:
2880-479: The site was closed due to state budgetary issues. In 2001, the Civil War Preservation Trust listed Mansfield, where the state acreage had grown to 177 acres (72 ha) as one of the 10 most endangered Civil War battlefield sites. By 2006, the battlefield had been dropped from the endangered list. The park's first new monument in decades was added in 2010. It honored Louisiana Confederate troops and
2940-413: The stage for the Battle of Mansfield . Taylor ordered an assault at around 4:00 pm, and the Confederate forces attacked over the clearing, suffering heavy casualties in the process. The first Union line was driven back, as was a second one about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) further back. A Union wagon train was captured, and the Confederates drove on to a third Union line, which was 3 miles (4.8 km) from
3000-552: The stalemate of WW1. The proliferation of tanks and aircraft changed the dynamics again in WW2. In both Burma in World War II, and in Vietnam, air supply played an important part in where battles took place. Some, such as Arnhem or the A Sầu , would not have happened at all, absent the development of aircraft and helicopters. So, too, has the introduction of landing craft ; combined with naval gunfire support, they have made beach landings
3060-431: The state's first governor. The 1845 constitution eliminated minimum property requirements for gubernatorial candidates and ensured the governor would be chosen directly by popular vote. In 1879, governors were authorized to hold successive terms, but this was eliminated in the 1898 constitution. After the 1930s and 1940s, governors increasingly had to manage their image over mass media while their staffs grew in size. In
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#17330934609583120-505: The tactics used; in Vietnam, heavy jungle favored ambush. Historically, military forces have sometimes trained using methods suitable for a level battlefield, but not for the terrain in which they were likely to end up fighting. Mardonius illustrated the problem for the Ancient Greeks , whose phalanges were ill-suited for combat except on level ground without trees, watercourses, ditches, or other obstacles that might break up its files,
3180-708: The town . In World War II, the Pripyat Marsh was an obstacle to vehicles, and the Red Army successfully employed cavalry there specifically because of that, while in North Africa, the Qattara Depression was used as an "anchor" for a defensive line. The belief that a location is impregnable will lead to it being chosen for a defensive position, but may produce complacency. During the Jewish Rebellion in 70 AD, Masada
3240-408: The understanding of a battlefield from one defined by terrain to a more multifaceted perception of all of the factors affecting the conduct of a battle and is conceptualised as the battlespace . The occurrence of a battle at a particular location may be entirely accidental, if an encounter between hostile forces occurs with neither side having expected the encounter. Typically, however, the location
3300-424: The use of force, taking of prisoners of war and the treatment afforded to them, and seizure of enemy property. With respect to the seizure of property, it has been noted that in ancient times it was understood that a prevailing enemy was free to take whatever was left on the battlefield by a fleeing enemy—weapons, armor, equipment, food, treasure—although, customarily, "capture of booty may take place some distance from
3360-401: Was a Union failure and prevented the Union from sending troops to other regions, and postponed a planned assault on Mobile, Alabama , which in turned freed up other Confederate troops. The Camden expedition likewise ended in failure. In 1924, 4 acres (1.6 ha) of the battlefield were donated to the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) for a memorial park. The next year, a monument to
3420-409: Was broken by fences which had to be climbed—while his division was constantly exposed to fire from the moment it left the trees. On modern battlefields, introducing obstacles to slow an advance has risen to an art form: everything from anti-tank ditches to barbed wire to dragon's teeth to improvised devices , have been employed, in addition to minefields . The nature of the battlefield influences
3480-439: Was marked out with hazel rods in advance of the battle. Formal arrangements by armies to meet one another on a certain day and date were a feature of Western Medieval warfare, often related to the conventions of siege warfare. This arrangement was known as a journée . Conventionally, the battlefield had to be considered a fair one, not greatly advantaging one side or the other. Arrangements could be very specific about where
3540-502: Was paid for by the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the UDC. Renovations at the park occurred in 2012. As of 2023, the site contains 0.75 miles (1.21 km) of trails, in addition to the museum. Living history events, such as musket demonstrations and soldier's gear talks, as well as other activities are sometimes held at the park. Battlefield Modern military theory and doctrine has, with technological advances in warfare , evolved
3600-489: Was thought to be unassailable; determined Roman military engineering showed it was not. In World War I, Aqaba was considered safe. During World War II, Monte la Difensa was revealed to be vulnerable by the First Special Service Force . (All three instances would later be used in films.) Crossing obstacles remains a problem. Even a seemingly open field, such as that faced by George Pickett at Gettysburg ,
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