The Rear Guard Buys Time

BG John S Marmaduke

The Battle of Chalk Bluff was fought on May 1^st and 2^nd 1863 in Arkansas and Missouri between Union Brigadier General William Vandever and Confederate Brigadier General John S Marmaduke.

After being defeated in the Battle of Cape Girardeau, Confederate Brigadier General John S Marmaduke began a retreat towards Helena, Arkansas on April 27^th 1863.  His march took him on a road over Crowley’s Ridge a route that provided protection for his flanks.  Union Brigadier General William Vandever followed the Confederates through Missouri to Chalk Bluff, Arkansas.  This was where Marmaduke planned to cross the St Francis River.

Marmaduke placed a rear guard along the ridge, while his engineers and pioneers constructed a bridge over the river.  His first line was set up at Four Mile, with a second reserve line about mile back at Gravel Hill on the ridge above the St Francis River.  Vadever’s troops attacked on May 1^st 1863, but were unable to drive the Confederates from the heights.  The fighting continued the next day.

Even though the Confederate rear guard suffered heavy casualties they held their line long enough for bridge to be built.  This allowed Marmaduke’s men to cross the river and return to his camps in Arkansas.

Looking For A Place To Cross The River

Fought on April 3rd and 4th 1864 the Battle of Elkin’s Ferry was part of the Camden Expedition in Arkansas.

Union Major General Frederick Steele had command of the VII Corps and two cavalry brigades. Confederate Brigadier General John S Marmaduke commanded three cavalry brigades. Steele’s men needed to find a place to cross the Little Missouri River, and with all the bridges out they headed to Elkin’s Ferry. Having reached Elkin’s Ferry the Union troops were attacked on April 3rd by Confederate Brigadier General Joseph Orville Shelby’s cavalry. Steele was attacked the next day while trying to cross the river by Marmaduke, but was able to drive off the Confederates and cross the river.

Casualties on both side were light. On the Union side about 30 were wounded. On the Confederate side 50 were wounded and 18 killed. On the evening of April 4th 1864 Shelby and Marmaduke joined forces. The next morning they withdrew south to Prairie D’Ann.

To Destroy Supplies

The Second Battle of Springfield was fought January 8th 1863 in Springfield, Missouri.

Three Confederate Cavalry columns under the command of Brigadier General John S Marmaduke left Lewisburg, Arkansas on December 31st 1862. Their objective was to destroy the Union Army supply depot in Springfield, Missouri. The three Cavalry columns under Marmaduke, Colonel Emmett MacDonald and Colonel Joseph C Porter were to converge on Springfield from different directions and capture the city’s warehouses.

The Union commander in Springfield, Brigadier General Egbert Brown learned of the approach of the Confederate Cavalry the night of January 7th 1863. Brown was told there were about 5,000 Confederates to his 1,343 soldiers. Brown could destroy the supplies and retreat, or stay and fight. He decided to defend the city of Springfield.

In the early morning hours of January 8th 1863 Marmaduke approached Springfield from the south. While waiting for the other two columns of Confederate Cavalry to arrive Marmaduke’s troops foraged and captured some Missouri Militia about five miles from Springfield. At about 10:30 am the Confederates began to push into Springfield. They found homes on the outskirts of the city burning. Brown had ordered the houses burnt to provide a view for the artillery on Springfield's South Ave. After several assaults from the south failed, Confederate Colonel Joseph Orville Shelby took up an oblique attack from the west. The fighting was hand to hand and house to house with heavy casualties. The Confederates were able to capture a cannon. The Union troops were able to hold on and even push the Confederates back. With the sun about to go down Marmaduke led a final assault against Fort Number 4. The Union troops held saving the supply depot and ending the Battle of Springfield. During the night the Confederates withdrew and in four days were back in Arkansas.

A Running Battle In Arkansas

The Battle of Cane Hill was fought in Washington County Arkansas on November 28th 1862.

As part of the Confederate strategy to push the Union troops back into Missouri, the Battle of Cane Hill was fought to gain back ground lost during the Pea Ridge campaign. Confederate Major General Thomas C Hindman with about 11,000 soldiers moved into Fort Smith, Arkansas and got ready to move across the Boston Mountains located in the northwestern part of the state. About 5,000 Union troops under the command of Brigadier General James Blunt, were waiting for them. Trying to hold the Union force in place, Hindman sent 2,000 cavalry under the command of Brigadier General John S Marmaduke to keep Blunt’s men busy while the rest of the Confederates moved through mountains.

Union troops learned of the Marmaduke’s cavalry and moved south about 35 miles, surprising the Confederate cavalry by suddenly attacking them on November 28th 1862. Marmaduke ordered a retreat with Colonel Joseph Shelby’s cavalry covering as the rest of the Confederates headed for the mountains. Blunt’s force pursued the retreating Confederates for 12 miles, with a running fight going on all the way. The battle lasted for about nine hours, with the Union loosing about 41 men and the Confederates about 435.

Saved By Cotton Bales

In Arkansas the Battle of Pine Bluff was fought on October 25th 1863.


Union troops under the command of Colonel Powell Clayton took the town of Pine Bluff Arkansas on September 17th 1863. He garrisoned the town with the 1st Indiana and 5th Kansas Cavalries of about 600 men. At 8am on October 25th 1863 Confederate Brigadier General John S Marmaduke split his force of about 2500 into three and attacked the town, in an attempt to retake it. With the support of about 300 freed slaves, the Union soldiers put up a barricades with cotton bales around the courthouse square, and backed it up with nine cannon. Marmaduke attacked several time, but was unsuccessful in taking the square.

Confederate casualties were reported at around 40 killed or wounded. The Union lost 56 men. Marmaduke did take about 250 horses and bales of cotton.