Battle of Helena

Battle of Helena
Part of the American Civil War
Hindman Hill
Date July 4, 1863 Location Present-day Helena-West Helena, southeast of Little Rock, Arkansas 34°31′05″N 90°35′22″W / 34.51806°N 90.58944°W / 34.51806; -90.58944 Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Prentiss	Theophilus Holmes Sterling Price
Units involved
District of Eastern Arkansas	District of Arkansas
Strength
4,129	7,646
Casualties and losses
239 total 57 killed 146 wounded 36 missing	1,614 total 169 killed 659 wounded 786 missing
Helena Location of Helena in Arkansas

Theophilus Holmes

The Battle of Helena was a land battle of the American Civil War fought on July 4, 1863, at Helena, Arkansas. The battle was a Confederate attempt to relieve pressure on the besieged city of Vicksburg. The victory secured eastern Arkansas for the United States.

Lieutenant-General Theophilus Holmes, commander of the District of Arkansas, planned a coordinated attack from three sides on the formidable Federal fortifications surrounding Helena in order to relieve pressure on Vicksburg and to prevent Helena being used as a base to attack further into Arkansas. Holmes wrote to General Kirby Smith, commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department, and received permission to attack Helena.

Infantry under Major-General Sterling Price and cavalry under Brigadier-General John Marmaduke would move from Jacksonport to the vicinity of Helena. Price and Marmaduke would meet up with infantry out of Little Rock, under Brigadier-General James Fagan. Holmes, accompanied by Arkansas Governor Harris Flanagin, travelled to Helena to take personal command of the attack.