During the early morning hours of April 17, 1783, a large party of British irregulars and Chickasaw led by Captain James Colbert of the 16th Regiment of Foot attacked the settlement and fort.

Spanish forces had won several victories in the Lower Mississippi River region, driving out the British from Manchac and Baton Rouge and taking numerous prisoners.

James Colbert, a British officer, was a leader of one such group, managing to rally a small number of irregulars to continue the fight against the Spanish.

Arkansas Post was inhabited by a garrison of 33 men of the Fixed Infantry Regiment of Louisiana and four Quapaw warriors, in addition to the commander, Captain Jacobo du Breuil; his second-in-command, Lieutenant Luis de Villars; and Sergeant Alexo Pastor.

Although four families escaped the village and proceeded to seek shelter in nearby Fort Carlos III the attackers took most prisoner, including Lieutenant Luis de Villars and Sergeant Alexo Pastor.

During this engagement, the Spanish garrison sustained two losses and Pastor escaped from British captivity, reaching the fort in the chaos of battle.

[3] At about 3:00 a.m., the attacking force began to entrench themselves in a ravine just outside the fort, which, due to its location among trees and bush, they could approach "within pistol shot".

The two sides exchanged gunfire for six hours, with neither sustaining casualties because of both the strength of the fort's palisade walls and the attackers' entrenched position, which offered good shelter from the 4-pounder cannons that the defenders employed.

Marie Luisa de Villars, the wife of the lieutenant and fellow prisoner, accompanied Colbert's officer to ensure he would not be shot approaching the fort.

The apparent shock of this sally, mixed with war cries and volleys of musket fire, scattered the attacking force, which immediately retreated to the river and boarded the canoes with their prisoners.

[4] Following the rout, Colbert drove a tomahawk into the ground near the riverbank, symbolizing his intent to return, and had another message sent to Dubreil via one of the village inhabitants:[4] You can form an idea of my forces, at 12 today 500 Chickasaws are due to arrive and also two bateaux loaded with men, armed with four swivels and a cannon and if the Commandant of the fort does not surrender before the said hour and I am victorious, as I have no doubt I shall be, I do not know whether I can hold my people or not, and if the... [Quapaw] are used against us I myself will order the prisoners killed.

[1] On May 16, Miró wrote to Colbert, informing him of the January 20 preliminary peace treaty between the two sides and requesting that all property and prisoners be returned unconditionally.