All one has to do is read Fields Of Blood to understand that Fort Smith in 1862 could offer almost nothing....in 1861, whatever was there was go bledmup and it never was replenished....Hindman couldn’t even get enough to sustain him for his Prairie Grove debacle.....won the battle but had to retreat because of supplies and subsistence... the area from Missouri border to Ark River was totally obliterated of supplies including Fort Smith.