The Camden Expedition (March 23–May 2, 1864) was a military campaign in southern and central Arkansas during the American Civil War. It involved Union forces stationed at Little Rock and Fort Smith under the command of Major General Frederick Steele. The plan called for 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. But the two pincers never converged, and Steele's columns suffered terrible losses in a series of battles with Confederate forces led by Maj. Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Battle of Elkin’s Ferry Conflict American Civil War Date April 3-4, 1864 Place Clark County and Nevada County, Arkansas Result Union victory The Battle of Elkin’s Ferry was a land battle of the American Civil War that took place on April 3-4, 1864. ... The Battle of Prairie DAne was fought April 9–13, 1864, in Nevada County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Poison Spring was fought during the American Civil War on April 18, 1864, in Ouachita County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition. ... The Battle of Marks’ Mill occurred on April 25, 1864, in Cleveland County, Arkansas. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Frederick Steele Edmund Kirby Smith Strength Department of Arkansas Army of Arkansas Casualties 521 443 The Battle of Jenkins Ferry was fought April 30, 1864, in Grant County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,732 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert Edward Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... Nickname: Rocktown, The Rock, Capital City Coordinates: Country United States State Arkansas County Pulaski Founded 1821 Incorporated 1831 Mayor Jim Dailey Mayor-Elect: Mark Stodola [1] Area    - City 302. ... Fort Smith is the name of various locations. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Frederick Steele (January 14, 1819, Delhi, New York – January 19, 1868, San Mateo, California), American Civil War Union Major General. ... Location in the state of Louisiana Coordinates: Parish Caddo Mayor Keith Hightower Area    - City 117. ... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ... Nathaniel Prentiss Banks (January 30, 1816–September 1, 1894), American politician and soldier, was born at Waltham, Massachusetts. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... Portrait of David Dixon Porter during the Civil War Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States naval officer who became one of the most noted naval heroes of the Civil War. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... General Price Sterling Old Pap Price (September 20, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an antebellum politician from the U.S. state of Missouri and a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. ... Portrait of Edmund Kirby Smith during the Civil War Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16, 1824 – March 28, 1893) was a career U.S. Army officer, an educator, and a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, notable for his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the...

The Campaign

The United States War Department, under the direction of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, had developed a strategic goal to reassert Federal control over Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. This was part of a much larger effort to move simultaneously against Confederate forces in a number of theaters. Separate Union columns were to destroy the remaining Southern troops in South Arkansas and Northern Louisiana, then join together for an all-out push into Texas, essentially ending the war in that region. The Arkansas phase of this Red River Campaign was entitled the Camden Expedition, an effort endorsed by Ulysses S. Grant. The United States Department of War was the military department of the United States governments executive branch from 1789 until 1949, when it became part of the United States Department of Defense. ... The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814 – December 24, 1869), was an American lawyer, politician, United States Attorney General in 1860-61 and Secretary of War through most of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. ... The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. ... Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American general and politician who was elected as the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ...

On March 23, 1864, Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele marched a combined 8.500-man force of infantry, artillery and cavalry from the Little Rock Arsenal. At roughly the same time, Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks' army departed from New Orleans in conjunction with Rear Admiral David Porter's naval expedition. Steele and Banks were to push aside the enemy in their repective fronts, then combine forces to seize Shreveport. Steele would garrison that city while Banks forged ahead into northeastern Texas. March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Nickname: The Crescent City, The Big Easy, The City That Care Forgot, NOLA (acronym for New Orleans, LA) Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area    - City 350. ...

Steele's route was through a thinly populated wilderness with little provisions. He hoped to occupy Camden, a port city on the Ouachita River to re-supply. As all the bridges on the Little Missouri River were impassable, the Union troops had to ford the muddy river. Steele's men reached Elkin's Ferry before the Confederates, but on April 3, they were attacked by Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby's cavalry. The following day, John S. Marmaduke's cavalry also attacked the Union forces as they were trying to cross the river. The Federals were able to fend off both of these attacks and then cross the river. The Little Missouri River, or Little Mo, is a river which runs from the Ouachita Mountains of southwest Arkansas into the rolling hills area in the surrounding countryside. ... Battle of Elkin’s Ferry Conflict American Civil War Date April 3-4, 1864 Place Clark County and Nevada County, Arkansas Result Union victory The Battle of Elkin’s Ferry was a land battle of the American Civil War that took place on April 3-4, 1864. ... Joseph O. Shelby Joseph Orville (Jo) Shelby (December 12, 1830 – February 13, 1897) was a Confederate cavalry general in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. ... John Sappington Marmaduke (1833–1887) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. ...

On April 10, Steele’s forces, combined with Brig. Gen. John M. Thayer’s division, marched south towards Shreveport. They soon encountered a Confederate line of battle at Prairie D’Ane and attacked, driving it back a mile before being checked. Skirmishing continued throughout the next day, forcing Steele to divert away from Shreveport toward Camden. Sterling Price’s Confederates returned to Prairie D’Ane on April 13, falling upon Steele’s rearguard under Thayer. After a four-hour battle, Price disengaged, and Steele’s column continued to Camden. The Battle of Prairie DAne was fought April 9–13, 1864, in Nevada County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War. ...

Steele finally reached his destination on April 15, but found no supplies awaiting him. After a two-day wait, he sent out foraging parties into the countryside and awaited news from Banks. However, Banks was in retreat, having been defeated at the Battle of Mansfield, and now more of Kirby Smith's forces were heading into Arkansas to intercept Steele. Dwindling supplies for his army at Camden forced Steele to send out a 1,200-man foraging party to gather corn that the Confederates had stored about twenty miles away. After loading the corn into over 200 wagons and proceeding about 5 miles on April 18, Col. James M. Williams's party was savagely attacked by John Marmaduke’s and Brig. Gen. Samuel B. Maxey’s Confederates at the Battle of Poison Spring. Williams was forced to retreat northward into a marsh, where his men finally regrouped and fell back to Camden, minus the wagonloads of much needed corn. Steele was relieved on April 20 when a wagon train arrived from Pine Bluff with welcome supplies. The Battle of Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Cross-Roads or Pleasant Grove, on April 9, 1864 in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, was the first major clash of the Unions Red River campaign. ... Samuel Bell Maxey (March 30, 1825– August 16, 1895) was an American soldier, lawyer, and politician from Paris, Texas. ... The Battle of Poison Spring was fought during the American Civil War on April 18, 1864, in Ouachita County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition. ... Coordinates: Country United States State Arkansas County Jefferson Founded 1832 Incorporated 1839 Mayor Carl Redus Area    - City 121. ...

One week later, the Battle of Marks' Mills resulted in the capture of 2,000 more of Steele's men and many more wagons. Steele decided to abandon Camden under the cover of darkness and retreated to Little Rock on April 26. Three days later, he reached the Ouachita River at Jenkins' Ferry and began constructing a pontoon bridge. Smith's Confederates arrived on April 30 and repeatedly attacked the retreating Federals in windy and rainy conditions. Steele repulsed the attacks and finally crossed with what was left of his force, destroying the bridge to prevent Smith from following. He was compelled to abandon most of his remaining supply wagons in the swamp north of the river. A badly chagrined Steele finally reached his base at the Little Rock Arsenal on May 3. The Battle of Marks’ Mill occurred on April 25, 1864, in Cleveland County, Arkansas. ... Pontoon bridge across the James River at Richmond, Virginia, 1865. ...

The Camden Expedition was perhaps the greatest Federal military disaster of the Civil War in Arkansas. Union forces suffered over 2,500 casualties, lost hundreds of wagons and failed to take Shreveport or Texas. Confederate forces freely roamed rural Arkansas, while the Federals stayed in their fortifications at Fort Smith, Pine Bluff, Helena, and Little Rock. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. ...

References

• Baker, William D., The Camden Expedition of 1864. Little Rock: Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.
• National Park Service description
• Arkansas Military Heritage website for the Camden Expedition