"The Arkansas River Valley is one of the most fertile regions in the South. During the Civil War, the river also served as a vital artery for moving troops and supplies. In 1863 the battle to wrest control of the valley was, in effect, a battle for the state itself. In spite of its importance, however, this campaign is often overshadowed by the siege of Vicksburg. Now Mark K. Christ offers the first detailed military assessment of parallel events in Arkansas, describing their consequences for both Union and Confederate powers. Christ analyzes the campaign from military and political perspectives to show how events in 1863 affected the war on a larger scale. His lively narrative incorporates eyewitness accounts to tell how new Union strategy in the Trans-Mississippi theater enabled the capture of Little Rock, taking the state out of Confederate control for the rest of the war. He draws on rarely used primary sources to describe key engagements at the tactical level -- particularly the battles at Arkansas Post, Helena, and Pine Bluff, which cumulatively marked a major turning point in the Trans-Mississippi "-- From the jacket cover.

Prologue. "A muddy, red, and brackish stream" : The Arkansas River Line, January 1863 -- "The die is cast" : Arkansas goes to war -- "While it lasted Shiloh was nowhere" : The Battle of Arkansas Post -- "We must whip them or surrender" : Holmes moves to the offensive -- "A grivous calamity" : The Battle of Helena -- "We are an army of prisoners" : The campaign to capture Little Rock -- "If they take Fort Smith, the Indian country is gone" : The Western Arkansas River Valley -- "The Federals fought like devils" : The Battle of Pine Bluff -- Epilogue. "Old year, I bid you farewell" : The Arkansas River Line, December 1863.