Bailey's Dam

** "Bailey's Dam" by Steven D. Smith, and George J. Castille III, is a book which uncovers a remarkable engineering achievement from the American Civil War: the construction of Bailey's Dam. This study combines military history and archaeological findings to examine how Union forces, led by Major General Nathaniel Banks and Rear Admiral David D. Porter, overcame a critical setback during the Red River campaign. When their gunboats became stranded due to shallow waters, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bailey devised an audacious plan—to build a dam that would raise the water level enough for the vessels to escape. This story follows the dam’s construction, highlighting Bailey's resourcefulness, the labor of the troops, and the eventual successful escape of the fleet, further analyzing the dam's lasting relevance in both engineering and military history. **