Just my personal opinion on the subject of the Battle of Mt Elba , but I do not think that most people today and few even then especially Fagan, do not appreciate the nature of the Battlefield and how it played such a large part of the outcome, and the high differences in casualities.

The mistake that Wright made was in pressing that battle across open fields against artillery placed behind the river levy. He was between the Union Cavalry at Mt Elba and their base at Pine Bluff and did not have to attack but could have waited (in My Opinion) and attacked Powell Clayton at a more advantagious position as they tried to get back to Pine Bluff. Wright had Powell Clayton outnumbered 2 to 1 and Clayton was weighted down with Artillery, 320 prisoners and a large number of Contriband and other supplies taken at Longview to try to get back to Pine Bluff.