Col. John M. Harrell, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 10.2, Arkansas
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

Fagan took position where a road running north and south crossed the Camden and Pine Bluff road at Marks' mills. Shelby's division was ordered to turn squarely off to the right from the road the train was on, and by making a rapid detour, come back in front, near Mount Elba, the Saline crossing. General Cabell's division was placed in line of battle parallel with the road on which the enemy was moving, and from that position Cabell's line immediately attacked the enemy, drawn up on a plateau in the open woods, with his artillery in position on either side of some log houses. General Dockery of Cabell's division had not yet come up, having stopped to forage his horses a few miles back. General Dockery had galloped all night to intercept the enemy, but seeing a quantity of forage which his horses needed, he stopped and ordered his men to give it to them. Neither orders nor cannon-shots seemed to disturb that equanimity which he always carried with him in battle. Jolly, energetic, yet absolutely devoid of nervous sensibility, he appeared to have perfect immunity from both fear and anxiety.

Cabell's brigade, commanded by Colonel Monroe and himself in person, advanced steadily upon the enemy, Hughey's battery on his right replying to the rifled 10-pounders of the enemy unflinchingly. Owing to the distance General Shelby had to traverse, his attack was not simultaneous with Cabell's, and for an hour Cabell's brigade sustained the fight alone, gaining ground steadily. Dockery came up and formed opportunely on his left, helping to sustain the unequal combat, but not until many gallant officers and men of Cabell's brigade had fallen. Then Shelby, whose division had galloped ten miles, met the head of the train thundering toward Mount Elba. He formed Crawford's brigade, commanded by the gallant Col. John C. Wright, to the right of the main road in advance; then Shanks' and next, Frank Gordon's regiment,