The Red River Campaign

The Red River Campaign. March 10 - May 22, 1864. With the United States embroiled in the Civil War, Union leaders feared Mexico might seek to re-take Texas. The Red River Campaign hoped to thwart this possibility and cut off Texas as a source of men and supplies. Union Major General N. P. Banks received orders to advance in force from New Orleans to Shreveport. Union Major General Frederick Steele's command would move from Little Rock through Southwest Arkansas to Shreveport., Their plan had three objectives: , . Defeat Major General Edmund Kirby Smith, the Confederate commander of the Trans-Mississippi, headquartered at Shreveport. , . Secure the Red River for navigation. , . Invade cotton-rich Texas to supply New England textile mills., The Arkansas portion of this campaign has come to be known as the Camden Expedition from General Steele's reports. However, Shreveport, not Camden, was its goal. Ordered to take minimal supplies for men and livestock and forage off the countryside, finding food for their forces would become a significant problem for Steele's army. The lack of supplies would make the Battle of Prairie D'Ane, now a National Historic Landmark, the Camden Expedition turning point., March 23 - Gen. Steele leaves Little Rock with 8,500 men. Gen. John Milton Thayer leaves Fort Smith with 4,500 men to meet Steele in Arkadelphia on April 1., March 24-April 1 - Steele marches through Benton, crosses the Ouachita River at Rockport, continues to Arkadelphia waiting on Thayer until April 1. When Thayer does not arrive, Steele leaves Arkadelphia on April 1., March 31-April 2 - Confederate Gen. J.S. Marmaduke's 3200 cavalrymen attack Steele's column front and rear in a series of actions in Clark County to slow the column and force Steele to use up his supplies. , April 3-4 - Union forces cross the Little Missouri River at Elkins' Ferry to begin an engagement with Confederate Gen. J. S. Marmaduke. Marmaduke withdraws to fortifications on high ground and then to Prairie D'Ane., April 5-9 - Union forces advance to high ground and rest at the Cornelius Farm. Fearing Banks unsuccessful in Louisiana, needing supplies, and believing there are supplies in Camden, Steele decides on April 5 to go there. Thayer arrives on April 9., This program was made possible in part by a grant from Arkansas Heritage, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, funded by your 1/8 cent conservation tax, Amendment 75.