Mississippi River channel if flood-control structures are overtopped or heavily damaged during a severe flood. Failure of the Old River Control Structure, the Morganza Spillway, or nearby levees would likely re-route the main channel of the Mississippi through Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin and down the Atchafalaya River to reach the Gulf of Mexico south of Morgan City in southern Louisiana. This route provides a more direct path to the Gulf of Mexico than the present Mississippi River channel through Baton Rouge and New Orleans. While the risk of such a diversion is present during any major flood event, such a change has so
120th Ohio Infantry May 1. Ordered to join Banks at Alexandria on Red River Expedition May 1. Embarked on steamer "City Belle". Action en route at Snaggy Point May 3. Over 200 men captured. Those who escaped were formed into a battalion of three companies and marched to Alexandria. Retreat from Alexandria to Morganza May 13–20. Mansura or Marksville Prairie May 16. Duty at Morganza until September. Expedition to mouth of White River and St. Charles September 13–20. Expedition to Duvall's Bluff, Ark., October 21–27. The regiment lost a total of 300 men during service; 2 officers and 17 enlisted men killed or