The National Archives Guide Index lists this skirmish under the name "Tunica Bend" rather than Bayou Tunica. Their study concludes that fighting took place on two days, Nov. 8-9, 1863, and that the skirmish listing for Bayou Sara should be included under Tunica Bend.
Here's their citation:
Tunica Bend, not named in atlas 156:A-5 (bend of Mississippi River in which Tunica Island is located).
skirmish at Bayou Tunica, or, Nov. 8 [-9], 1863. Union troops engaged at "Bayou Tunica" per battle lists (b) "Nov. 8" 1st Mich. H. Art., Cos. B, C, D, E, F, G, K (one officer and eighteen men missing); "Nov. 11" 12th Mass. Indep. Btry. (a) same regts. plus "Nov. 9" 73d U.S. Colored Inf. (Volunteer Army Register, 8:247; one man killed, four missing). NOTE:This skirmish is also recognized as "Skirmish near Bayou Sara, Nov. [8-] 9, 1863, " which was apparently surmised from Maury's report at 41:452:"We dashed in yesterday above Bayou Sara .... "Although the operation as listed at 41:Ev3, "Skirmish at Bayou Tunica, or Tunica Bend, " gives only the date, Nov. 8, it is evident from Maury's report at 111:912 and records of events on the muster rolls of Co. F, 15th Confederate Cav., and the 12th Mass. Indep. Btry. that there was fighting on both Nov. 8 and 9. The Nov. 11 entry for the 12th Mass. Indep. Btry. in battle lists (a) (b) was taken from an erroneous notation on the regtl. return.
Dyer lists Federal units involved at Tunica Bend as MICHIGAN--6th Heavy Arty. UNITED STATES---1st Corps de Afrique Infantry (later 73rd U.S.C.T.), which appears to be correct. Dyer's list for Federal units involved at Bayou Sara as ILLINOIS--118th Mounted Infantry. MASSACHUSETTS--2d Battery Light Arty., which is obviously in error, as the 118th Illinois was then engaged across the Mississippi in the Teche country.
Here are relevant communications from Maj. Gen. Dabney H. Maury found in the O.R. (ser. I, vol. XXVI, part 1):
pp. 333-334
MOBILE, ALA., October 18, 1863:
I propose to send Colonel [H.] Maury's regiment of cavalry toward the Jackson Railroad, to break up the Manchac Bridge, at last account nearly completed, and to bring in some of the deserters and absentees who are reported to be lurking in that vicinity.
Before sending him, I desire to have General Johnston's assent to the expedition, because he may have reasons why it should not go, or may desire to indicate some other object for it to accomplish.
p. 452
MOBILE, ALA., November 12, 1863:
The following dispatch from Tunica, Miss., was received yesterday dated 10th instant, from Col. Henry Maury, Fifteenth [Confederate] Cavalry Regiment: we dashed in yesterday above Bayou Sara on a plundering party of Yankees, 300 strong; drove them to their iron-clads, with great slaughter. We brought off their wagon train and 25 prisoners from under the broadsides of their gunboats. Only 3 wounded of ours.
pp. 500-501
MOBILE, ALA., December 12, 1863:
May I send Colonel Maury's regiment into Louisiana or Mississippi on a scout? The prisoners captured by him on his last expedition were operating with negro troops. They have been sent to Cahaba, in compliance with General Johnston's instructions.
On the Federal side, the post commander at Port Hudson LA, Brig. Gen. George L. Andrews, mentioned that a Confederate mail carrier had been captured "by our expedition to Tunica Bend." Dated Nov. 23, 1863 (p. 817), the note from Andrews mentions several letters from Mobile, which suggests that they were intended for Maury's 15th Confederate cavalry.
On December 13th (p. 852), Andrews writes, December 13, 1863:
"An Alabama regiment encamped within 7 miles of Bayou Sara for some time, but, like most of rebel forces, are migratory."
On Sept. 30, 1863, strength report for the 15th Confederate Cavalry, Hall's Mills, Ala., was 25 officers and 418 enlisted men present for duty, 431 effective present, 494 aggregate present, 835 present and absent. The regiment apparently was out of the Department of the Gulf on its strength report of Nov. 1, 1863, only a detachment being listed on Nov. 10th. The department report for Dec. 17, 1863, lists the regiment with Clanton's Brigade, on the eastern side of Mobile Bay.