. History of the American Civil War . were put in operation,and the business followed up with great vigor. Some dif-ficulty occurred with the marines, who insisted upon theirright to pass the lines of the army, and threatened at onetime to turn their guns against the troops. Bankss disastrous retreat left the Confederates at libertysteeics movements to march into Arkansas and act against Steele,who was moving toward Shreveport. It hadbeen intended that Steele should take part with Banks inthe operations against Shreveport. He had accordinglyleft Little Rock, on March 23d, with 12,000 infantry,
. History of the American Civil War . were put in operation,and the business followed up with great vigor. Some dif-ficulty occurred with the marines, who insisted upon theirright to pass the lines of the army, and threatened at onetime to turn their guns against the troops. Bankss disastrous retreat left the Confederates at libertysteeics movements to march into Arkansas and act against Steele,who was moving toward Shreveport. It hadbeen intended that Steele should take part with Banks inthe operations against Shreveport. He had accordinglyleft Little Rock, on March 23d, with 12,000 infantry, and3000 cavalry under Carr. He was to be joined by 5000 240 STEELES EXPEDITION. [Sect. XVII. men under Thayer, and a small force under Clayton. Atthis time General Price, with 12,000 Confederates, was inSouthwestern Arkansas. Crossing the Little Missouri at a point menacing Skreve-Ee obtahu pone* port^ Washington, and Camden, Steele con-cealed his real destination, which was Cam-den. The Confederates were misled into the belief that. OPERATIONS IN ARKANSAS. he intended to attack Shreveport, and Steele, moving vig-orously, obtained possession of Camden. News now coming of Bankss failure on the Red River,and the force of the enemy being not less than 25,000 men,there was nothing for Steele but to fall back. One of hisforaging parties, sent out on the 21st of April, was attacked, Chap. LXXVL] STEELES EETEEAT. 241 and lost 250 men, 4 guns, and 150 wagons. On the 23d liesent out a train of 250 wagons, 6 ambulances, an escort of200 cavalry and 1200 infantry, with 4 guns, to Pine Bluffs,for supplies for the army. It was attacked by the Confed-erates ; all the officers, and nearly all the men, were killed,wounded, or captured, and the guns and wagon-train the 26th Steele determined to evacuate Camden, con-ducting his retreat over dreadful roads, and in but is compelled to . -. -t , p . , n . mi r\ j? 1 retreat to Little the midst ot torrents oi ram. lhe Confeder-ates overtook
Size: 1547px × 1616px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthordraperjohnwilliam1811, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
