There were two good roads from Pochahontas north. The old Bellview to Pochahontas military road which entered Mo. in southwestern Ripley co., ran along the Ripley, Oregon co. lines, then northeast to Van Buren in Carter co., up Henpeck Creek into Reynolds and then Iron Co. I understand the new military road ran roughly along the same route as present day Mo. Rt 21 down to Doniphan, probably crossing Current River somewhere near Pitman Ferry into Arkansas and on down to Pocky. The new road would be the most likely route for Shelby.

These were graded roads following the best terrain. Probably the most hills were encountered up towards Iron county and along the rivers.

Price's army had to spread out because by 1864 the Mo., Ark. border area had been picked so clean there simply wasn't any forage left for an army.