Mississippi flood of 1973 The Morganza Spillway was opened, flooding portions of the Atchafalaya River basin in Louisiana and causing the deaths of thousands of head of livestock and white-tailed deer. The 1973 flood was notable for nearly causing the failure of the Old River Control Structure above the Mississippi River Delta, which would have sent the Mississippi's main channel flowing into the Atchafalaya River and bypassing most of the delta region including the major port of New Orleans, Louisiana. In spite of record high flows, flood stages were not as high as past events. Red River Landing, Louisiana reached 58.22 feet on May
69th Indiana Infantry Regiment until October. Western Louisiana "Teche" Campaign October 3-November 30. Ordered to Algiers December 13, then moved to Texas December 18. Duty at Matagorda Bay and Indianola until February 1864, and at Matagorda Island until April 19. Moved to New Orleans, thence to Alexandria, La., April 19–27. Red River Campaign April 27-May 22. Actions at Alexandria April 29 and May 2 to 9. Graham's Plantation May 5. Retreat to Morganza May 13–20. Duty at Morganza until December. Expedition to the Atchafalaya May 30-June 6. Expedition to mouth of White River and St. Charles, Ark., September 13–20. Moved to Dauphin Island, Mobile