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"Early Monday morning the army divided---General Fagan taking the main road to meet the enemy and planned to attack them just as they came upon the brow of the hill, then only a few miles away. Gen. Dockery took one brigade and being piloted by Edward Atkinson, marched down the road to overtake the enemy, while Gen. Shelby's brigade, piloted by William David Marks, at whose boyhood home the battle was fought, winded their way through neighborhood roads and through the woods, ground very familiar to Billie Marks, and came upon the Federals very unexpectedly about a mile from his father's house. There the skirmishing began and the enemy turned and rushed upon the hill to form a line of battle just as the main army were coming in behind. A fierce and bloody battle ensued, when the federals found themselves entirely surrounded by 'rebels' they gave up their wagons and tried to escape, every man for himself. Only about 200 succeeded in getting away, while 1400 men were captured and marched back across the Ouachita River and sent to Tyler, Texas, to prison.
"The Federal dead were buried there on the Marks plantation and many of them have since been removed to their boyhood homes in northern states. The wounded were taken into the home of John Harvie Marks and kept until they died or recovered sufficiently to be moved to Pine Bluff to Union quarters, However, the home was used as a hospital more than three months. The Confederates were placed in the homes of Wat Smith, Bill Davis, and Warren Crane. There were a few Union soldiers taken to the home of Mrs. Civility Powell Marks, some of whom have been back several times to view the battle ground and renew friendships with people they met while convalesing after the battle.
- "That night, Monday, our men were treated to a sumptuous meal
prepared from food taken out of the captured wagons, which had been gathered
from all along the road, from the homes of many of our boys. One thing,
in particular, I remember, was several cans of honey which we especially
enjoyed.
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