Despite being outnumbered, Williams defended the train as long as possible while hoping for reinforcements from Camden, but after a short, hotly contested close-range engagement, the black troops broke ranks and retreated in chaos as Confederates cut them down in heavy fire. The Federals finally broke to the north in a complete rout, abandoning their artillery, wagons, and spoils as they tried to escape the howling Indians and westerners. The Confederates pursued them for more than two miles before Maxey, fearing Federal reinforcements, halted the chase to secure the wagon train. Confederate Colonel Charles DeMorse said the wagons were laden with corn, bacon, stolen bed-quilts, women's and children's clothing, hogs, geese, and other plunder, and soon afterward owners reclaimed possessions at Woodlawn, the headquarters of General Price. When the shattered survivors straggled back to Camden, anger rose among Steele's troops that the train had gone out with such a small escort, and its loss worsened an already critical supply situation: meat remained available, but hardtack was completely exhausted. Conditions seemed to improve on the 20th when a supply train arrived from Pine Bluff with 10-days half-rations, but this only preceded the disaster at Marks' Mills. United States of America forces engaged numbered 1,134, with 236 killed, 65 wounded, and 125 captured, while Confederate States of America forces engaged numbered 3,335, with 16 killed, 88 wounded, and 10 missing. Captured equipment included 170 wagons with 6-mule teams, hundreds of small arms, two James rifles with caissons, and two mountain howitzers with caissons.