K ir by ▁Smith dom ". ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁L t . ▁Gen . ▁Richard ▁Taylor , ▁directly ▁under ▁Smith ' s ▁command , ▁sound ly ▁defeated ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁Nathan iel ▁P . ▁B anks ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mans field ▁in ▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁Camp aign ▁on ▁April ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ple asant ▁Hill ▁on ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁Smith ▁joined ▁Taylor ▁and ▁dispatch ed ▁half ▁of ▁Taylor ' s ▁army , ▁Walker ' s ▁Grey h ounds , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁John ▁George ▁Walker , ▁north ward ▁to ▁defeat ▁Union ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁Frederick ▁Ste ele ' s ▁inc urs ion ▁into ▁Ark ansas . ▁This ▁decision , ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁by ▁Taylor , ▁caused ▁great ▁en m ity ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁men . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁pressure ▁rel ieved ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁Smith ▁attempted ▁to ▁send ▁rein for c ements ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi . ▁But , ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁his ▁earlier ▁attempts ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁V icks burg , ▁it ▁proved ▁impossible ▁due ▁to ▁Union ▁naval ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁Instead ▁he ▁dispatch ed ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁Ster ling ▁Price , ▁with ▁all ▁available ▁caval ry , ▁on ▁an ▁un success ful ▁invasion ▁of ▁Missouri . ▁There after ▁he ▁conducted ▁the ▁war ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁princip ally ▁through ▁small ▁ra ids ▁and ▁gu err illa ▁activity . ▁