Meanwhile, Steele, who had received reinforcements that brought the total Union strength to about 15,000, arrived at Brownsville with his infantry on September 2.

Marmaduke killed Walker in a duel on September 6, and Davidson's men drove Confederate cavalry commanded by Robert C. Newton across the Arkansas River in a skirmish at Ashley's Mills.

While Marmaduke and Davidson fought the Battle of Bayou Fourche later that day, Price had Little Rock abandoned; the Confederates were out of the city by 5:00 pm.

After the American Civil War opened with Confederate forces bombarding Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, the southern state of Arkansas seceded from the Union on May 6.

[1] Union forces pushed into northern Arkansas in early 1862, and defeated the Confederates in the Battle of Pea Ridge in March.

[2] Afterwards, Union Major General Samuel R. Curtis moved across Arkansas with his troops, and for a time threatened the state capitol of Little Rock.

[4] Confederate troops commanded by Lieutenant General Theophilus Holmes attacked Helena on July 4, 1863, but were repulsed.

[9] On July 23, with Holmes ill and bedridden, Confederate command fell to Major General Sterling Price.

Price believed that his only real chance of success would be if a Union force attacked his fortifications head-on, but the existence of several crossing points further down the Arkansas River rendered this possibility unlikely.

[11] Historian Albert Castel suggests that the primary purpose of the expedition was political, with the goal of installing a competing pro-Union government at Little Rock.

[27] Price began to doubt that Little Rock could be defended, so he had supplies transferred to Arkadelphia and started preparations for the evacuation of the city.

[20] Union captures of Fort Smith, Arkansas and Monroe, Louisiana had already disrupted Confederate communications to the south and west.

[29] Minor skirmishing occurred on August 26 as Davidson sent patrols to scout the Confederate position at Bayou Meto and Shallow Ford further to the south.

A Confederate unit, Bell's Missouri Battery, was wrecked during the action, leading Marmaduke to group all his artillery together with the aim of retaliating against the Union guns with concentrated fire.

[32] Castel believes that by not making a stronger stand at Bayou Meto, Price lost his best chance to defeat Steele.

The brigade of Colonel James M. True had joined Steele on August 30,[35] bringing the total Union strength to about 15,000 men.

[44] Dobbins's men made a fighting retreat 5 miles (8 km) back to Bayou Fourche, where they prepared to make a stand.

Marmaduke took command of the Confederate forces at Bayou Meto, but Dobbins refused to take orders from him because of the death of Walker.

[45] Union troops advanced against Marmaduke's line, and the ensuing Battle of Bayou Fourche was the heaviest fighting of the campaign.

[50] No fighting occurred north of the Arkansas River, although two Union artillerymen serving a battery accompanying the infantry were wounded by an accidental explosion.

[54] Both sides's figures exclude deaths due to disease, and the Confederates abandoned 650 sick and wounded in Little Rock.

Christ also quotes historian Shelby Foote as estimating that the campaign gave the Union control of three-quarters of Arkansas.

[59] Historian Robert L. Kerby speaks of Price's "tactical ineptitude" and Steele's "brilliant execution of the campaign".

Steele did not drive further into Arkansas due to diversion of reinforcement to other areas, the upcoming wet season which would make travel difficult, distracting Confederate raids, and orders from General Henry Halleck to secure his position.

[66] Later in September, Confederate cavalry launched a limited raid into Missouri that Kerby describes as "thrilling but pointless".