stˈiːl lˈɛd ɐ kəmbˈaɪnd ˈeɪt,fˈaɪvhˈʌndɹɪdmˈæn jˈuːniən fˈoːɹs ʌv ˈɪnfəntɹi, ɑːɹtˈɪlɚɹi ænd kˈævəlɹi fɹʌmðə lˈɪɾəl ɹˈɑːk ˈɑːɹsənəl ˌɔn mˈɑːɹtʃ twˈɛnti θɹˈiː, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈoːɹ, wɪððɪ ɑːbdʒˈɛktɪv ʌv dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ fˈoːɹsᵻz wɪð mˈædʒ. dʒˈɛn. bˈæŋks æt ʃɹˈiːvpoːɹt.
Steele led a combined 8,500-man Union force of infantry, artillery and cavalry from the Little Rock Arsenal on March 23, 1864, with the objective of joining forces with Maj. Gen. Banks at Shreveport.