Battle of Marks' Mills, Cleveland County, Arkansas ==================================================== Submitted by James Boneys email: jamesboney@ alltel.net copyright: James L. Boney ============================================================================================================= USGenWeb NOTICE: Libraries and individual researchers may download this file for personal, non-commercial use only. Any other use requires written permission from the transcriber. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ======================================================================================= The Battle of Marks' Mills was fought on April 25th 1864 around the junction of the Camden-to-Pine Bluff and Warren-to-Princeton roads. The mills from which the battle takes its name were located in the vicinity of the road junction. These mills were owned and operated by John Harvie Marks who had moved from Alabama to this area in 1834 and settled on what is now known as the Red land Ridge. This battle was the fourth in a series of engagements fought in South Arkansas in the spring of 1864. These battles are known in the Official Records as the Camden Expedition. The expedition started in late March when the Union Army in Little Rock moved south on its ill-fated journey towards Camden and ended the following May with the retreat of the Union Army across the Saline River at Jenkins' Ferry and back to Little Rock. 1 By the 15th of April, the Union Army, commanded by Major-General Frederick Steele, had reached and occupied Camden. Although his army was inside the well-fortified city of Camden, he was still in a critical situation. His main concern was where to find supplies for his army of 12,000 men and 12,000 horses and mules. Earlier, Steele had sent several dispatches to his superiors suggesting that his army by supplied by boat on the Ouachita River. For some reason this suggestion was not carried out. Steele was now left with the choice of either securing his supplies from the countryside or by wagon train from Pine Bluff. 2 The capture of one of his supply trains on the 18th of April at the Battle of Poison Springs left Steele in a more critical situation than before. But just when it seemed his state of affairs was at its worst, he received an answer from his earlier dispatches sent to Pine Bluff. This came in the form of a large wagon train loaded with five days rations for his army. Somehow this train of 150 wagons had managed to slip past the Confederate scouts and travel 80 miles through enemy-held territory. As soon as it reached Camden on the 20th, it was unloaded and made ready to return to Pine Bluff for additional supplies. 3 On the 17th of April, Lieutenant-General E. Kirby Smith, the Commanding General for the Trans-Mississippi Department, reached Woodlawn, which was west of Camden. Upon his arrival, he ordered General Sterling Price, the Commanding General for the Arkansas forces, to follow through with a plan he had suggested earlier. This called for a cavalry force to be placed east of the Ouachita River. Their mission would be to interrupt the Union supply line that covered the 80 miles from Camden to Pine Bluff. 4 General Price immediately organized a large cavalry force that was to be commanded by Brigadier-General James Fagan. On the 22nd, Fagan's Arkansas cavalry moved out from their headquarters at Woodlawn and marched to El Dorado Landing on the Ouachita River. Here they would be joined by Brigadier-General Joe Shelby's command of Missouri cavalry. This would be the cavalry force to operate east of the Ouachita. During the afternoon of the 22nd, Shelby's scouts had learned that a large wagon train was making ready to leave Camden. This information was reported to their commander. When Fagan learned of this train, he began making preparations to capture or destroy it. The Union supply train that left Camden on the morning of the 23rd was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Drake of the 36th Iowa Infantry. The train consisted of 240 government wagons, a number of sutler's wagons and other private wagons along with cotton buyers and Arkansas refugees. Drake's escort consisted of: 300 men from the 43rd Indiana Infantry, 500 men from the 36th Iowa Infantry, 400 men from the 77th Ohio Infantry, 240 cavalry and four pieces of artillery from the famous Second Missouri Light Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Charles Peetz, a total of 1440 men. 5 The train reached the western edge of the Moro Bottom without much difficulty where they camped on the night of the 24th. After crossing the Ouachita River, Fagan with his force of 4,000 cavalry and eight pieces of artillery traveled rapidly to intercept the train that they knew was one day ahead of them. After they had traveled 45 long and hard miles, Fagan halted his column for a much-needed rest. It was only 8 miles to Marks' Mills. The time was midnight April 24th. Before daylight, Fagan learned from his scouts that the supply train was camped on Moro Creek. He was delighted by this information. They had overtaken the train and he now made plans to attack it at Marks' Mills. 6 At this place the roads went out in every direction: to Camden, to Mount Elba and Pine Bluff, to Princeton, to More Landing, and to Warren and Long View. General Fagan's soldiers were also determined to capture this supply train since many of them lived on or near the road the enemy was traveling. It was known by all that the Federal soldiers were robbing every house and barn they passed. They were desperate for food. Not only did they take food, but robbed every house of its silverware, jewelry, bedding and fine clothes, in fact every article of family stores of any value including every horse and mule in sight. 7 At dawn on the morning of the 25th, Drake started the train on the road to Marks' Mills. Earlier he had ordered the 43rd Indiana forward to the junction of the Warren and Pine Bluff roads. Colonel Drake was two miles west of the junction when a courier brought him word that Shelby's entire force had been sighted about three miles down the Warren road. He immediately sent orderlies to the road to bring up his other two regiments. In the meantime the 43rd Indiana, 300 men strong, was forming a battle line covering the road junction with a line of skirmishers well out in front. 8 The time: 8 a.m., April 25 1864. By daylight that morning, Fagan's horsemen were in motion along the road that would taken them to Marks' Mills. When they were about one and a half miles form the battlefield, Fagan's escort was fired into by the 75-man Union cavalry patrol sent down the Warren road. General Fagan halted is column and ordered General Shelby to turn right toward the east. This command, guided by William Marks, would wind their way over the neighborhood roads and come upon the Pine Bluff road five miles east of Marks' Mills. He then ordered General William Cabell to form a line of battle with his brigade parallel to the Pine Bluff road. Colonel Monroe's 1st Arkansas cavalry, which was marching directly behind the escort, was dismounted and formed on the right of the Warren road with two companies sent forward as skirmishers. When about 80 yards from their horses, they became engaged with the Union skirmishers and drove them back to the main force. 9 In the meantime, General Cabell had formed the rest of his brigade. Colonel Thomas Gunter's command, composed of his battalion and Colonel Allen Pettus' battalion of State troops, were placed on Colonel Monroe's right. Colonel Morgan's 2nd Arkansas Cavalry was placed on the left of the road. Captain William Hughey's four-gun battery of artillery was posted in the Warren road with Colonel Gordon's 4th Arkansas as support. General Cabell then sent an aide to General Fagan informing him of his position that was then across two roads leading into the road on which the train was moving. General Cabell received orders to move forward and attack the train. At the command from Cabell, the whole line of skirmishers and all except two companies of skirmishers under Colonel Monroe moved forward under a tremendous fire from the enemy and attacked the train. 10 On the right or east flank, Colonel Gunter's command engaged a part of the enemy that was trying to escape in the direction of the Mill or Pine Bluff. Here they were successful in capturing the train and in killing four men. On the left or west flank, Colonel Morgan's 2nd Arkansas also met with little resistance as they advanced. After traveling about a mile, they came upon the train and, under heavy fire, they assisted in killing a number of horses and mules. The center regiment, Monroe's 1st, had advanced down the Warren road. After covering about 80 yards, they came into contact with the 43rd Indiana Infantry who were covering the road junction. Suddenly the 43rd launched a counter-attack that caused the 1st Arkansas to fall back. 11 When Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Drake arrived at the scene of action, he found the 43rd Indiana engaged with Monroe's 1st Cavalry on the ridge known as the Red Lands. What he saw made his blood run cold. All of the 43rd Indiana was slowly falling back with the exception of three companies that Major Norris had been holding back as reserves. With these three companies, Drake decided to make a counterattack. While he was forming his line, the 36th Iowa arrived and was placed in line with the 43rd. Behind this line he placed Lieutenant Peetz' two 12-pounder James rifles. While Major Hamilton was forming the 36th Iowa, the Confederates on the left and right had changed fronts and were now converging on the 43rd. 12 The left and right regiments, after breaking through the train, realized that the center had not advanced. They could hear heavy firing in their rear. They immediately retraced their line of advance and came upon a line with the 1st Arkansas. As fast as each regiment came into position, it became engaged with the enemy. After Morgan's and Gunter's regiments had been re-aligned with Monroe's 1st, they moved forward. The Confederates, after advancing some three hundred yards, spotted the Union battle line. The Federal soldiers were posted in the open woods along the ridge with a section of artillery in position. The time: 9 a.m., April 25th 1864. 13 As the Confederates slowly made their way toward the hill, Colonel Drake calmly waited until they had closed to within 75 yards. He then ordered Peetz to fire his artillery. The two James rifles shot forth their smoke and flame sending a storm of grapeshot into the advancing Confederates. At the same time, the 36th Iowa and 43rd Indiana began to fire volley after volley of minie balls into the Confederate ranks. The flag went down only to be raised again. The battle line staggered and fell back only to surge forward again. For the next one and one-half hours the battle raged with a savage fury. Cabell's Arkansas cavalry, the 43rd Indiana, and the 36th Iowa fired thousands of rounds of ammunition. To silence the two Federal guns on the hill, General Cabell sent for his artillery. The cannoneers of Hughey's battery were standing by their guns, listening to the sounds of the battle when an officer came along the line and ordered them to the front. They went down a long hill, across a creek and out into an opening. Here they were in full view of the Union battery on the hill some four hundred yards in their front. The guns quickly went into battery, powder charges were rammed home, and fuses were cut. At the word from Hughey, the four guns roared into action sending round after round of case-shot into the Federal line. Through the smoke and dust of this man-made hell, the cannoneers could see that their artillery was doing terrible and deadly work. The Federal battle line was weaving to and fro and showing signs of giving way. The soldiers were falling fast. Most of the battery's horses along with a number of the men were killed. 14 The Confederates also suffered heavy casualties from the grapeshot and shell of the enemy cannon. It was here that the South lost many of its best officers and men. The area around the road junction was covered with dead and wounded men. The noise of the battle was terrible. The roar of the cannon could be heard for fifteen miles. The people in the next township could hear the roar and knew a terrible battle was in progress. At this time, General Thomas Dockery's small brigade arrived on the field and joined the action on Cabell's left. Supported by the 7th Arkansas cavalry, Dockery's command swept around Cabell's command and reached the Camden road west of the Union position. About the same time, a scout informed Colonel Drake that a large force of Confederate cavalry was approaching from the east. This would be Shelby's command that consisted of his own Missouri brigade and Colonel John Wright's 2nd Arkansas brigade. The Federals were now surrounded on three sides. Colonel Drake now called upon the five remaining companies of the 36th Iowa to meet the attack from the east. 15 At this time, Colonel Drake decided to try to make contact with Major Mark McCauley who was to bring the 77th Ohio to the front. This regiment was at the rear of the train. While enroute to McCauley's command post, Drake was severely wounded in the left hip by a minie ball fired from the Confederate line. Before passing out, Drake told Captain McGill to turn command over to Major Spellman. 16 The time: 10:30 a.m., April 25th 1864. When they reached the battle area, General Shelby told Captain Richard Collins to fire his two cannon. This would let General Fagan know that they were on the Federal left flank. He then gave the order to charge. The troopers charged into the right battalion of the 36th Iowa forcing them back into the already tangled mass of fighting around the guns and buildings. At the same time, Cabell's command rose to their feet and converged on Lieutenant Peetz' two guns. After an hour of this almost hand-to-hand combat, the Federals with their ammunition almost gone began to fall back. Leaving the two guns, a large number of Federal soldiers move to their left and took refuse in and around a large log house which stood about 150 yards north by east of their original position. General Cabell's command now found themselves in possession of over 200 prisoners, two cannon and a large number of wagons. The first Union position had been taken. The 1st and 2nd Arkansas now moved forward toward the house. After several volleys had been exchanged, they captured about 100 Federals. These soldiers were placed under guard and sent to the rear as prisoners of war. 17 In the meantime, Colonel Gunter's battalion had closed in on a log cabin that stood on the left of the road. Here they captured 17 more Federal soldiers. Gunter reformed his men and moved in the direction of the log house. Upon his arrival, he found that the fighting had ceased in that area. The Confederates had taken the second Union position. A profound silence now fell upon the battlefield. Then from the west came the sounds of marching feet and the rattle of battle gear. The 77th Ohio was marching to the scene of the action. 18 When they reached the battle area, they found the road blocked by Dockery's small brigade. Not to be taken prisoner without a fight, they move forward and the battle began again. General Cabell, hearing the sounds of battle to his west, began to reform his brigade. Placing two mounted regiments of Shelby's that had just arrived on his right and the footsoldiers on his left, he moved to the assistance of General Dockery who was slowly being forced back toward the crest of the hill by the fierce attack of the 77th Ohio. The firing once again became heavy and continuous along the entire length of Cabell's line. Earlier, General Fagan had pulled Colonel John Harrell's battalion out of the line and placed them in the woods north of the road. From their vantage point they could see the 77th Ohio as they moved along the road. Harrell's battalion moved forward and attacked the Federals on their left flank. At the same time Cabell and Dockery's commands struck them from the front. After an hour of hard fighting, seeing that their position was hopeless, most of the 77th surrendered. 19 The third and final position had been taken by the victorious Confederates. The time: 1 p.m., April 25th 1864. The Battle of Marks' Mill was over. Bugles were heard singing over the nearly two mile-wide battlefront calling the Confederate commands together. But some of the men would not rejoin their command until dark. They had gone into the woods after the few Federals who had managed to escape. 20 For the Confederates, the battle was a complete victory. For the Federals, a complete disaster. The battle, which lasted for five hours, was both bloody and costly. In comparison to the numbers engaged, the casualties were high on both sides. The Union forces had engaged 1600 men. Of these 100 were killed, 250 wounded, and 1000 captured. Only 250 managed to make good their escape. The Confederates had engaged 2500 men. They suffered 110 killed, 228 wounded, and 40 missing. The Union dead were buried on the Marks' plantation and the wounded were carried to the home of John Harvie Marks. The Confederate dead were buried at the Warren Crane place. The wounded were carried into the homes of Watt Smith, Bill Davis, and Warren Crane. In addition to capturing most of Drake's command, the Confederates captured six cannon, hundreds of small-arms, four flags and a mail wagon containing $175,000 in greenbacks. That night the Confederates were treated to a sumptuous meal prepared of food taken from the captured wagons. References 1. The Camden Expedition, March 23-May 3, 1864, Official Records, Vol. XXXIV, Part 1, 653-850. 2. The Camden Expedition, Official Records, Vol. XXXIV Part 1, Report of Major- General Frederick Steele, U.S. Army. 3. Report of Captain Charles Henry, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 4. Report of General James Fagan, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 5. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Drake, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 6. Report of General James Fagan, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 7. "The Battle of Marks' Mills," Edward Atkinson, Private Co. B, 1st Ark. 8. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Drake, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 9. Report of Colonel James C. Monroe, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 10. Report of General William Cabell, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 11. Report of Colonel Thomas Morgan, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 12. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Drake, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 13. Report of Colonel Thomas Morgan, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 14. "The Battle of Marks' Mills," Edward Atkinson, Private Co. B, 1st Ark. 15. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Drake, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 16. Ibid. 17. Report of Colonel James Monroe, O.R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 18. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gunter, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 19. Report of General William Cabell, O. R. Vol. XXXIV, Part 1. 20. Report of Colonel John C. Wright, from The Journal of Colonel John C. Wright, C.S.A. Copyright: James L. Boney