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The Federal army was getting ready, in July, to occupy the Arkansas valley and march upon Little Rock.
On the 27th, by special orders of General Grant, Maj.-Gen. Frederick Steele was assigned to the command of the army, to take the field from Helena, and on August 11th he assumed command of ‘all of Arkansas north of Arkansas river.’
His military force included the infantry divisions of Col. W. E. McLean and Gen. S. A. Rice, present for duty, 4,493; cavalry under Gen. J. W. Davidson and Colonel Clayton, present for duty, 4,652; and artillery, total present for duty, 9,433; aggregate present, 13, 207.
The field artillery included 49 pieces.
With this strong force the Federal movement began on August 11th, the infantry marching from Helena by easy stages, with complete supply trains.
The estimate of Confederate troops present for duty in the district of Arkansas, exclusive of Steele's division, and not allowing for the losses at Helena, was as follows: Price's division, Arkansas brigades of Fagan, McRae and Tappan, and Missouri brigade of Parsons, 5,500; Marmaduke's Missouri division, 3,000; Frost's brigade, 1,800; Dobbin's and other commands, 900.
The return for September showed 8,532 present for duty; aggregate present, 10,665; field artillery, 32 pieces.
On April 1, 1863, General Frost had been assigned to command of Hindman's division.
On March 2d he was relieved and ordered to Day's Bluff to his brigade,1 and Gen. Sterling Price was given the division.
In his orders assuming command, General Price announced his staff as follows: Maj. Thos. L. Snead and Maj. L. A. McLean, assistant adjutant-generals; Maj. Isaac Bunker,
1 On May 31st, General Frost's division (defenses of lower Arkansas) was returned as follows: First brigade, Col. John B. Clark, Jr.—Clark's regiment, Lieut.--Col. M. W. Buster; Mitchell's regiment, Col Chas. S. Mitchell; Musser's battalion, Lieut-Col. Richard H. Musser; Ruffner's battery, Capt. S. T. Ruffner. Not brigaded—Nineteenth Arkansas, Col. C. L. Dawson; Twelfth Texas cavalry, Col. W. H. Parsons; Rector's company (refugees from Arkansas Post), Capt. W. G. Rector; Richardson's company, Lieut. J. Brooks; Peoples' company, Lieut S. J. Peoples; McKie's Texas squadron, Capt M. M. Boggess.
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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