Confederate resistance north of the river broken, Sanborn deployed the 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment and the 10th Missouri Cavalry Regiment, as well as the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, to exploit the breakthrough. The 2nd Arkansas Cavalry spearheaded the pursuit. Union forces captured 100 Confederate soldiers, as well as two cannons and some wagons, north of the river, including around the Trading Post settlement. Large quantities of equipment, personal effects, and partially cooked food were found left in the camp, including the partially butchered carcasses of livestock. Marmaduke had positioned men and three cannons from Hynson's Texas Battery just south of the river crossing, and these Union troops were temporarily halted, as there were not enough Union soldiers on the field to challenge the Confederate line directly. The river crossing was obstructed with two downed trees and some men from Colonel Thomas R. Freeman's command. Sanborn ordered the 7th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia to cross the river upstream from the Confederate position, successfully outflanking the Confederate line and opening a path across the river. As the 7th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia cleared the approach from the flank, the 2nd Arkansas also drove across the river. A tributary of the Marais des Cygnes, named Big Sugar Creek, presented another challenge to the crossing. An alternate crossing of the Marais des Cygnes bypassed this roadblock, but Sanborn was not aware of its existence. Serving as a rearguard, Clark aligned his brigade in the path of the Union advance. This line was spotted by Sanborn's men after they forced their way through some forest growth around the river. Sanborn drew up a line with two Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia units thrown out as skirmishers, and the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry, 2nd Colorado Cavalry, and two additional militia units forming his main line. Confused as to what to do, Sanborn left to personally find Curtis for orders and left Colonel John E. Phelps, commander of the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry, in charge in his absence. Phelps's orders were not to attack unless reinforced, but he assaulted Clark's line with 200 men from his own unit and the two Missouri State Militia commands anyway. The attack was initially successful, but halted and was repulsed. Curtis and Pleasonton had joined Sanborn by this point, and observed the 2nd Arkansas' repulse. They attempted to bring more troops to Phelps' support, but Price's wagons had cut up the roads during their