Complete the following sentence: The fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863 freed enough Federal forces to attempt the conquest of Little Rock. ąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąą By August 18, Steele's combined force of 13,000 troops (soon reinforced to 14,500) and 57 artillery pieces reached DeValls Bluff. By August 18, Steele's combined force of 13,000 troops (soon reinforced to 14,500) and 57 artillery pieces reached DeValls Bluff. Confederate Major General Sterling Price defended Little Rock with 7,749 soldiers. After Davidson's cavalry crossed the Arkansas River and defeated the Confederate cavalry in the
Battle of Bayou Fourche on September 10, 1863, Price abandoned Little Rock and Steele's troops marched into the city.