▁towards ▁S ik eston ▁and ▁Cape ▁Gir arde au . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Jeff ▁Thompson ▁reached ▁S ik eston , ▁planning ▁to ▁strike ▁Cape ▁Gir arde au ; ▁however , ▁his ▁man power ▁was ▁limited , ▁and ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁retre at ▁into ▁the ▁sw amps ▁off ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 3 , ▁from ▁C airo , ▁Illinois , ▁US ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁U ly ss es ▁S . ▁Grant ▁wrote ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Colonel ▁Richard ▁J . ▁Og les by , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Head quarters ▁District ▁S out heast ▁Missouri ▁at ▁Bird ' s ▁Point , ▁ordering ▁his ▁troops ▁to ▁" st rike ▁for ▁S ik eston " ▁from ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁town ▁of ▁Com merce . ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Benjamin ▁Pr ent iss ▁and ▁Colonel ▁W . ▁H . ▁L . ▁Wal lace ▁also ▁conver ged ▁in ▁the ▁S ik eston ▁area ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁Grant ' s ▁attack ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bel mont . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁S ik eston ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁transport ation ▁connection ▁as ▁Union ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Pope ▁sent ▁his ▁art illery ▁across ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁Com merce , ▁Missouri , ▁to ▁be ▁sent ▁by ▁rail ▁to ▁S ik eston ▁for ▁cart ▁transport ation ▁to ▁New ▁Madrid , ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Island ▁Number ▁Ten . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁Pope