Key Facts
- Dates
- April 9–13, 1864
- Also known as
- Skirmish at Prairie D'Ane; Battle of Gum Springs; Battle of Moscow
- Part of
- Camden Expedition / Red River Campaign
- Location
- Nevada County, Arkansas
Strategic Narrative Overview
Steele's Union column encountered Confederate resistance in Nevada County, Arkansas, leading to several days of fighting around Prairie D'Ane between April 9 and 13, 1864. The engagement, also referred to as the Battle of Gum Springs and Battle of Moscow, formed part of Steele's difficult push toward Camden. Confederate forces under Kirby Smith sought to block the Union advance and prevent the two federal armies from linking up and driving into Texas.
01 / The Origins
In 1864, Union strategists launched the Red River Campaign intending to suppress Confederate resistance in the Trans-Mississippi West and threaten Texas. The Camden Expedition was a key component, with Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele ordered to drive southwestward from Little Rock, Arkansas, while Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks advanced northward along the Red River from Louisiana. Together they aimed to crush Gen. E. Kirby Smith's Confederate army and capture the rebel stronghold at Shreveport.
03 / The Outcome
The source does not explicitly state the outcome of the battle. The broader Camden Expedition ultimately failed to achieve its objectives; Steele's force did not successfully combine with Banks's army for a westward push into Texas, and the Red River Campaign as a whole ended without Union forces capturing Shreveport or significantly advancing into Texas. Confederate resistance in the Trans-Mississippi region remained intact.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Frederick Steele, Nathaniel Banks.
Side B
1 belligerent
E. Kirby Smith.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.