Morning Fight in Arkadephia Town - May 3rd

At 6:00 a.m. on the morning of May 3rd, Confederate cavalry west of Arkadelphia pushed forward their skirmishers and lightly engaged and enemy cavalry brigade as Confederate infantry deployed. The cavalry then fell back as the infantry advanced and engaged the enemy who were deployed at the crest of a hill west of town.

The Federal Cavalry (Herling's Brigade) made a fighting withdrawal, stopping frequently to slow the enemy advance ensuring that the enemy infantry maintained a line formation. The Federal horsemen fell back fighting through town, making a stand at the court house, but starting to tire and being slightly disordered by enemy shrapnel.

Black's Brigade assaulted the court house eastward along the Washington Road, while Bieber's Brigade swung south of the court house and attacked northward on the cavalry's flank. Herling's Brigade fell back to the bridges, with the 20th Ohio at the stone bridge to the east and the balance of the brigade at the wooden bridge across the Benton Road. Confederates prepare to assault the position at 10:00 a.m.