...to the interior, would render it both slow and cautious. On May 4, 1863, Banks and his army moved from Opelousas toward Alexandria. Banks, on the road to Alexandria, was anxious to make sure of Farragut 's fleet. He inquired, Can the admiral meet me at Alexandria on Red river in the last week in April? Reaching that city he was joined by four ironclads under Admiral Porter, but the fleet lost its...