Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[553] miles distant from Camden by road, and to wait for news from Banks before penetrating farther into the enemy's country. But this news soon confirmed the stories picked up by the Federals for several days past from the few inhabitants they had seen on their march. On the 15th one of the scouts that Steele had sent out on an errand of discovery rejoined him finally at Camden, after having traversed the whole country to the north of Red River. He had left Banks on the 13th at Natchitoches, and brought back with him orally the official account by which the latter sought to disguise his defeat; but he had seen the army, had talked with the soldiers, and the statements which he made to his chief could not fail to enlighten him as to the true situation of Banks' army. Steele understood that the expedition was a failure, and decided not to venture beyond Camden. However, he did not believe that he ought yet to take up his march for Little Rock.

In fact, Banks would be able, as long he remained at Natchitoches, to resume the offensive if a rise in Red River opened the way to Shreveport to the navy, and formal orders obliged the Army of Arkansas in this case to act in co-operation. Accordingly, although his concentration would have left the field free to the enemy's guerillas, Steele resolved to wait for more precise information at Camden or for other instructions from headquarters. But, as we have said, Kirby Smith was preparing already to bring against him all the forces at his disposal. After having massed them on April 16th at Shreveport, he started off at their head the very next day by three different roads. Walker had taken on the right that which goes through Minden; Parsons, in the centre, was making for Benton; Churchill, on the left, was to advance up the left bank of Red River and after a march of thirty-seven miles turn to the right in order to reach the town of Magnolia in Arkansas. Kirby Smith, however, soon halted the first of these three columns. Having learned that Banks was fortifying himself at Natchitoches and had thrown a bridge across Red River, he feared lest the latter was trying to join Steele, and directed Walker to take a position nearly twenty miles beyond Minden in order to watch his movements. This was a great mistake, for this division, the best of the three, was thus