On July 8, 1864, a column of 221 men of the 10th Illinois Cavalry headed for Searcy to confront Gen. J.O. Shelbys Confederates, who were operating in the area. They set up camp at Des Arc Bayou on July 13. At 4:30 a.m. July 14, around 500 men under Confederate Col. B. Frank Gordon attacked the sleeping Federals from three sides. As chaos reigned in the Union camp, only a handful of Union troops managed to mount their horses and flee, and 131 were killed, wounded, or captured. Shelby proclaimed the 10th "whipped, routed and scattered."