The Louisiana Native Guards, composed largely of former slaves and free men of color from Louisiana, were organized by Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler in 1862. On April 9, 1863, 180 men from Companies B and G of the 2nd Regiment landed at Pascagoula and held the city for several hours against more than 300 Confederate troops. At 2 p.m. the Federals withdrew, returning to Ship Island. This raid was the first involving African American troops in the Gulf Region.