ðə plˈæn kˈɔːld fɔːɹ mˈædʒ. dʒˈɛn. fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk stˈiːlz fˈoːɹs tə mˈɑːɹtʃ tə ʃɹˈiːvpoːɹt, luːˌiːzɪˈænə, wˌɛɹ ɪt wʊd lˈɪŋk ˌʌp wɪð ɐn æmfˈɪbiəs ˌɛkspədˈɪʃən lˈɛd baɪ mˈædʒ. dʒˈɛn. nɐθˈænjəl pˈiː. bˈæŋks ænd ɹˈɪɹ ˈædmɜːɹəl dˈeɪvɪd dˈiː. pˈoːɹɾɚ, hˌuːz fˈoːɹs wʌz tʊ ɐdvˈæns ˌʌp ðə ɹˈɛd ɹˈɪvɚ vˈæli; wˈʌns dʒˈɔɪnd, ðə jˈuːniən fˈoːɹs wʌz tə stɹˈaɪk ˌɪntʊ tˈɛksəs.
The plan called for Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele's force to march to Shreveport, Louisiana, where it would link up with an amphibious expedition led by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks and Rear Admiral David D. Porter, whose force was to advance up the Red River Valley; once joined, the Union force was to strike into Texas.