Battle of the Barges of the Basran soldiers, together with a number of civilians that had accompanied them, were killed during the fighting. The battle was a major victory for the Zanj, and it forced the Abbasid government to take a more direct role in the campaign against the rebels. The Zanj Rebellion had begun in early September 869, in the region of southern Iraq. It was led by one 'Ali ibn Muhammad, who had previously led failed attempts against the government in al-Bahrayn and Basra. 'Ali was able to quickly gather a major following, especially among the black slaves who had been employed
Union Army of the Shenandoah the Shenandoah Valley to produce foodstuffs for the Confederacy, torching farms and more than 2,000 mills. Reinforced again in reaction to the threat of Sheridan's 31,000-man army, Early moved against Sheridan once more. After a decisive cavalry victory by Union forces under Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Tom's Brook, Early’s army launched a surprise attack against Sheridan at the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19. Initially successful, the Confederates were repelled by a Union counterattack and the Valley was firmly under Union control. Following their victory, portions of the Army of the Shenandoah were detached