The Civil War Battle of Poison Spring - April 18, 1864

The Civil War Battle of Poison Spring - April 18, 1864. Turning Point of the Red River Campaign in Arkansas. The Federal government's unsuccessful Red River Expedition in April, 1864 was the last major invasion of Confederate territory west of the Mississippi River. Its aim was to capture Shreveport, Louisiana, open Texas to Federal occupation and acquire much-needed cotton for Yankee textile mills in New England. The campaign failed as a result of several battles and skirmishes in Arkansas and Louisiana. , Among them were:, Louisiana , Mansfield, April 8 , Pleasant Hill and , Pleasant Grove, April 9 , Monett's Ferry, April 27, Arkansas , Prairie D' Ane, April 10 , Poison Spring, April 18 , Marks' Mills, April 25 , Jenkins' Ferry, April 30, The Camden Expedition , From Little Rock to Camden:, On March 23, 1864, Federal Major General Frederick Steele, who had captured Little Rock the previous September, left Arkansas' capital with an army of 13,000 men, 9,000 horses and mules, 800 wagons, and thirty pieces of artillery. He was under orders to join forces with Major General Nathaniel Banks, who was leading an amphibious army up the Red River from New Orleans. , Steele was frequently harassed by Confederates, meeting heavy resistance at the crossing of the Little Missouri River and at Prairie D'Ane, near Prescott. Because resistance was intensifying, Steele abandoned plans to go directly to Shreveport. He turned east and reached Camden, Arkansas, April 15. , Proceed to Panel 2 -------