Battle of Poison Spring About Revenge

In April, 1864 the Civil War continued unabated in Arkansas. Combatants included Appanoose County men of the 36th Iowa Volunteer Infantry under Lt. Col. Francis M. Drake of Unionville, Iowa, along with 32 Appanoose County men of the 18th Iowa Infantry under Capt. William Duncan of Osceola and 1st Lt. Joseph K. Morey of Centerville. These two infantry units remained with the Union army of Major Gen. Frederick Steele deep in the unfriendly Confederate territory of southwest Arkansas. Already on April 3-4 the 36th Iowa had played a major part in defending against the Confederate attack at the Battle of Elkins' Ferry. And on April 9-12, the 18th Iowa had been crucial in the Battle and skirmishing at Prairie D'Ane in defending against repeated attacks by Confederate Missouri cavalry under Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. John S. Marmaduke. The Union army had gotten within 54 miles of Louisiana, but were slowed down by repeated attacks, thwarted in their attempt to get to a rendezvous point at Shreveport, La. Critical shortages of rations for the 13,000 troops and forage for the 12,000 horses and mules had led Gen. Steele to turn his army back to Camden, Ark. on April 15 to gather grain and food supplies.