Post of Pine Bluff Marmaduke's Division Date 25 October 1863 | 550 cavalry and militia,300 freedmen,9 guns 2,000 cavalry,12 guns | |
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16 dead and 40 wounded or missing 41 dead, wounded or missing Similar American Civil War, Battle of Saint Charles, Battle of Whitney's Lane, Battle of Fort Smith, Battle of Old River Lake | ||
National history day the battle of pine bluff arkansas
The Battle of Pine Bluff was fought on October 25, 1863, during the American Civil War. A Federal garrison at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, under Col. Powell Clayton won a victory over Confederates led by Brig. Gen. J.S. Marmaduke. The victory ensured the safety of the Post of Pine Bluff from the C.S. Army.
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Background
U.S. forces occupied several towns along the Arkansas River after the capture of Little Rock, Arkansas. Brig. Gen. J.S. Marmaduke decided to test their strength at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. On October 25, 1863, he attacked the Post of Pine Bluff, a U.S. cavalry brigade commanded by Col. Powell Clayton.
Battle
At 8:00 a.m., Marmaduke's 2,000 C.S. cavalrymen approached Pine Bluff from three sides. The 550 U.S. cavalrymen and Missouri militia, supported by 300 freedmen, barricaded the court-house square with cotton-bales and positioned the cannon to command the adjacent streets. Marmaduke's Division made several attacks upon the square, then attempted to set the court-house on fire. They were unsuccessful and withdrew to Princeton, Arkansas.