Battle of Bayou Fourche order of battle
Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele, USA
Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, CSA
The battle pitted Steele's Union troops against Price's Confederates.
The Battle of Bayou Fourche (September 10, 1863) saw Union forces under the overall command of Frederick Steele clash with Confederate forces led by Sterling Price near Little Rock, Arkansas. The only fighting occurred when Steele's cavalry commanded by John W. Davidson crossed to the south side of the Arkansas River and compelled the Confederate cavalry under John S. Marmaduke to abandon its defensive position behind Bayou Fourche. Price's outnumbered forces evacuated Little Rock and withdrew south to Arkadelphia. The Union occupation of Little Rock was the final action in a campaign that started on August 18 when Steele's troops marched west from DeValls Bluff.[1]
Abbreviations used
[edit]Military rank
[edit]- Maj. Gen. = Major General
- Brig. Gen. = Brigadier General
- Col. = Colonel
- Lieut. Col. = Lieutenant Colonel
- Maj. = Major
- Capt. = Captain
- 1st Lieut. = First Lieutenant
Other
[edit]- (k) = killed in action
- (w) = wounded
- (c) = captured
Artillery
[edit]- 10lb PR = 10-pounder Parrott rifle
- 12lb How = M1841 12-pounder howitzer
- 14lb JR = 14-pounder James rifle
- 3-in OR = 3-inch Ordnance rifle
- 6lb Gun = M1841 6-pounder field gun
- 6lb Rifle = M1841 6-pounder field gun (rifled)
- Mtn How = M1841 mountain howitzer
Union forces
[edit]Union Army: Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele[2]
- Present aggregate (Aug. 18, 1863): 13,000, 57 guns (18 guns with Davidson), 14,500 including True's brigade.[1]
- Present for duty (Sept. 10, 1863): 10,477[2]
- Present aggregate (Aug. 18, 1863): 13,207, 49 guns[3]
- Present for duty (Aug. 18, 1863): 4,652 cavalry, 4,493 infantry, 288 artillery, 9,433 total[3]
- Casualties: 18 killed, 118 wounded, 1 missing[2]
- Cavalry Escort:[2]
- Company D, 3rd Illinois Cavalry Regiment, 1st Lieut. James K. McLean
- Kane County, Illinois Cavalry, 1st Lieut. Eben C. Litherland
| Division | Brigade | Unit | Commander |
|---|---|---|---|
| First (Cavalry) Division Brig. Gen. John W. Davidson 6,000 cavalry and 18 guns  |
First Brigade Col. Lewis Merrill |
2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (Merrill's Horse) | Maj. Garrison Harker |
| 7th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. John L. Chandler | ||
| 8th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Col. Washington F. Geiger | ||
| Second Brigade Col. John Montgomery Glover |
10th Illinois Cavalry Regiment | Col. Dudley Wickersham Lieut. Col. James Stuart | |
| 1st Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Lt. Col. Daniel Anderson Maj. Joseph W. Caldwell | ||
| 3d Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. T. G. Black Capt. J. H. Reed | ||
| Reserve Brigade Col. John. F. Ritter |
13th Illinois Cavalry Regiment | Maj. Lothar Lippert | |
| 3rd Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Maj. George Duffield | ||
| 1st Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Capt. J. W. Fuller | ||
| 32nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment (mounted) | Lieut. Col. Edward H. Mix Maj. Gustavus A. Eberhard | ||
| Artillery Capt. Julius L. Hadley |
Battery K, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery (4 x 3-in OR, 2 x 12lb How)[4] | 1st Lieut. T. S. Clarkson | |
| Battery M, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery (4 x Mtn How)[4] | Capt. Gustav Stange | ||
| Howitzer Battery, 2d Missouri Cavalry[5] | 1st Lieut. G. F. Lovejoy (w)[5] | ||
| 25th Ohio Battery (2 x 3-in OR, 4 x 6lb Rifle)[6] | 1st Lieut. E. B. Hubbard | ||
| Second Division Col. William E. McLean Col. Adolph Englemann |
First Brigade Col. William H. Graves |
18th Illinois Infantry Regiment | Col. Daniel H. Brush |
| 43rd Illinois Infantry Regiment | Maj. Charles Stephani | ||
| 54th Illinois Infantry Regiment | Col. Greenville M. Mitchell | ||
| 61st Illinois Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Simon P. Ohr | ||
| 106th Illinois Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Henry Yates | ||
| 12th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Dwight May | ||
| Second Brigade Col. Oliver Wood |
126th Illinois Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Ezra M. Beardsley | |
| 40th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Samuel F. Cooper | ||
| 3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Col. Christopher C. Andrews | ||
| 22nd Ohio Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Homer Thrall | ||
| 27th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Col. Conrad Krez | ||
| Third Division Brig. Gen. Samuel Allen Rice  |
First Brigade Col. Charles W. Kittredge |
43rd Indiana Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. John C. Major |
| 36th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Francis M. Drake | ||
| 77th Ohio Infantry Regiment | Col. William B. Mason | ||
| Second Brigade Col. Thomas H. Benton Jr. |
29th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Robert F. Patterson | |
| 33rd Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Cyrus H. Mackey | ||
| 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Maj. Calvert C. White | ||
| Independent Cavalry | Independent Brigade Col. Powell Clayton |
1st Indiana Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Thomas N. Pace |
| 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Wilton A. Jenkins | ||
| Independent Infantry | Independent Brigade Col. James M. True |
49th Illinois Infantry Regiment | Col. Phineas Pease |
| 62nd Illinois Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Stephen M. Meeker | ||
| 50th Indiana Infantry Regiment | Lieut. Col. Samuel T. Wells | ||
| 27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment | Col. James Isham Gilbert | ||
| Springfield Illinois Light Artillery (6 x 14lb JR)[7] | Capt. Thomas F. Vaughn | ||
| Independent Artillery | Artillery Brigade Capt. Mortimer M. Haden |
3rd Iowa Independent Battery Light Artillery (4 x 6lb Gun, 3 x 12lb How, 1 x 3-in OR, 1 x 10lb PR)[8] |
1st Lieut. Melvil C. Wright |
| Battery K, 1st Missouri Light Artillery (4 x 10lb PR)[9] | Capt. Stillman O. Fish | ||
| 5th Ohio Battery (2 x 6lb Gun, 2 x 14lb JR)[10] | 1st Lieut. John D. Burner | ||
| 11th Ohio Battery (2 x 6lb Gun, 2 x 12lb How, 1 x 6lb Rifle)[10] | Capt. Frank C. Sands |
Confederate forces
[edit]Confederate Army: Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
- On July 23, 1863, the department commander Lieut. Gen. Theophilus H. Holmes became ill and was superseded by Price.[11]
- On September 6, 1863, Brig. Gen. Marmaduke mortally wounded Brig. Gen. Walker in a duel. Col. Dobbins assumed command of Walker's division.[12]
- Marmaduke placed Dobbins under arrest on September 10 for disobedience of orders and command devolved upon Col. Newton. Price later suspended Dobbins's arrest.[13]
- Present for duty: 7,749. About 6,500 were north of the Arkansas River and 1,250 south of the river.[1]
- Aggregate present (September): 10,665, 32 guns. Present for duty: 8,532.[3]
- Casualties: 12 killed, 34 wounded, 18 missing.[2]
| Division | Brigade | Unit | Commander |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marmaduke's Cavalry Division Brig. Gen. John S. Marmaduke .jpg) |
Shelby's Brigade Lieut. Col. Benjamin F. Gordon |
5th Missouri Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. B. F. Gordon |
| 6th Missouri Cavalry Regiment | Col. Gideon W. Thompson | ||
| 10th Missouri Cavalry Battalion | Maj. Benjamin Elliott | ||
| 2nd Missouri Field Battery (2 x 6lb Gun, 2 x 10lb PR)[14] | Capt. Joseph Bledsoe | ||
| Marmaduke's Brigade Col. William L. Jeffers |
8th Missouri Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. S. J. Ward | |
| 3rd Missouri Cavalry Regiment | Maj. L. A. Campbell | ||
| 4th Missouri Cavalry Regiment | Lieut. Col. W. J. Preston | ||
| 11th Missouri Cavalry Battalion | Lieut. Col. M. L. Young | ||
| Prairie Gun Battery, Missouri Artillery | 1st Lieut. T. J. Williams | ||
| Walker's Cavalry Division Brig. Gen. Lucius M. Walker Col. Archibald S. Dobbins Col. Robert C. Newton  |
Dobbin's Brigade Col. A. S. Dobbins Col. R. C. Newton |
1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Dobbin's) | Maj. S. Corley (k) Capt. M. M. Bateman |
| 5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment | Col. R. C. Newton, Maj. J. P. Bull | ||
| 6th Arkansas Field Battery | Capt. C. B. Etter | ||
| Carter's Brigade Col. George W. Carter |
21st Texas Cavalry Regiment[15][note 1] | Lieut. Col. Dewitt C. Giddings | |
| Morgan's Texas Cavalry Squadron | Maj. Charles L. Morgan | ||
| Johnson's Spy Company, Texas Cavalry | Capt. Alf Johnson | ||
| Denson's Company, Louisiana Cavalry | Capt. William B. Denson | ||
| 10th Texas Field Battery | Capt. Joseph H. Pratt | ||
| Price's Division Brig. Gen. Daniel M. Frost  |
McRae's Brigade Brig. Gen. Dandridge McRae |
32nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. L. C. Gause |
| 36th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. J. E. Glenn | ||
| 39th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. R. A. Hart | ||
| 3rd Arkansas Field Battery | Capt. John G. Marshall | ||
| Parsons's Brigade Brig. Gen. M. Monroe Parsons |
7th Missouri Infantry Regiment | Col. L. M. Lewis | |
| 8th Missouri Infantry Regiment | Col. S. P. Burns | ||
| 9th Missouri Infantry Regiment | Col. J. D. White | ||
| 10th Missouri Infantry Regiment | Col. A. C. Pickett | ||
| 9th Missouri Sharpshooter Battalion | Maj. L. A. Pindall | ||
| 3rd Missouri Field Battery (4 x 6lb Gun)[16] | Capt. C. B. Tilden | ||
| Fagan's Brigade Brig. Gen. James F. Fagan |
6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. Alexander T. Hawthorn | |
| 34th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. W. H. Brooks | ||
| 35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Col. J. P. King | ||
| 37th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | Maj. T. H. Blacknall | ||
| 7th Arkansas Field Battery | Capt. W. D. Blocker | ||
| Clark's Brigade[3] Col. John B. Clark Jr. |
8th Missouri Infantry Regiment[17] | Col. Charles S. Mitchell | |
| 9th Missouri Infantry Regiment[18] | Lieut. Col. M. W. Buster | ||
| 8th Missouri Infantry Battalion[18] | Lieut. Col. Richard H. Musser | ||
| 1st Missouri Field Battery (2 x 6lb Rifle, 2 x 6lb Gun)[19] | Capt. S. T. Ruffner |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- Footnotes
- ^ The 21st Texas Cavalry was picketing the Arkansas River and missed the fighting.
- Citations
- ^ a b c Battles & Leaders 1987, p. 457.
- ^ a b c d e f g Battles & Leaders 1987, p. 461.
- ^ a b c d Dimitry & Harrell 1899, p. 207.
- ^ a b Swain 2019b.
- ^ a b c Official Records 1888.
- ^ Swain 2018c.
- ^ Swain 2015.
- ^ Swain 2018a.
- ^ Swain 2019a.
- ^ a b Swain 2018b.
- ^ Dimitry & Harrell 1899, p. 208.
- ^ Dimitry & Harrell 1899, pp. 220–221.
- ^ Dimitry & Harrell 1899, pp. 221–222.
- ^ McGhee 2008, p. 7.
- ^ Bailey 2011.
- ^ McGhee 2008, p. 13.
- ^ McGhee 2008, p. 242.
- ^ a b McGhee 2008, p. 216.
- ^ McGhee 2008, p. 1.
References
[edit]- Bailey, Anne J.: TWENTY-FIRST TEXAS CAVALRY from the Handbook of Texas Online (April 11, 2011). Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Vol. 3. Secaucus, N.J.: Castle. 1987 [1883]. ISBN 0-89009-571-X.
- Dimitry, John; Harrell, John M. (1899). Confederate Military History: Louisiana and Arkansas. Vol. 10. Atlanta, Ga.: Blue & Gray Press.
- McGhee, James E. (2008). Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865. Fayetteville, Ark.: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-55728-870-7.
- Swain, Craig (2018a). "Summary Statement, 3rd Quarter 1863, Iowa's Batteries". To the Sound of the Guns.
- Swain, Craig (2018b). "Summary Statement, 3rd Quarter 1863, Ohio Independent Batteries, Part 1". To the Sound of the Guns.
- Swain, Craig (2018c). "Summary Statement, 3rd Quarter 1863, Ohio Independent Batteries, Part 2". To the Sound of the Guns.
- Swain, Craig (2019a). "Summary Statement, 4th Quarter 1863, 1st Missouri Artillery". To the Sound of the Guns.
- Swain, Craig (2019b). "Summary Statement, 4th Quarter 1863, 2nd Missouri Artillery". To the Sound of the Guns.
- Swain, Craig (2015). "Summary Statement, December 31 1862, Independent Illinois Batteries and "Others"". To the Sound of the Guns.
- "The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports". University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History: United States War Dept. 1888. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
