kənfˈɛdɚɹət mˈeɪdʒɚ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl tˈɑːməs sˈiː. hˈaɪndmən, kəmˈændɚɹ ʌvðə tɹˈænzmˌɪsɪsˈɪpi dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt, hæd ˈɔːɹdɚd hɪz tɹˈuːps tə pˌʊt dˌaʊn bˈʊʃwækɚz ɪn saʊθwˈɛst mɪzˈʊɹɹi ænd nɔːɹθwˈɛst ˈɑːɹkənsˌɔː.
Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman, commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department, had ordered his troops to put down bushwhackers in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas.