On this site, then the town of Pleasant Hill, on April 9th, 1864, Gen. Richard Taylor with 12,000 Confederates attacked the town, occupied behind log breastworks by Gen. Banks and 25,000 Federal troops. Through the afternoon the battle raged. That night Banks quietly evacuated the town, leaving 400 of his wounded besides his dead. Taylor reported, "This position was too important to be held by the enemy."