Shelby's Raid was an 1863 Confederate cavalry raid from Arkansas into Missouri during the American Civil War. It had not been a good year for the Confederates in Arkansas with several setbacks. These included the loss of Little Rock the state capital, Fort Hindman, and the failure to retake Helena. Colonel Joseph Shelby thought that a fast moving raid could boost morale, acquire recruits, and keep federal troops busy so they couldn't assist in Northern operations elsewhere. His troops fought numerous skirmishes and caused a deal of disruption in Missouri, making it as far north as Waverly, Missouri, before withdrawing to Arkansas. This raid cemented Shelby's reputation as a cavalry commander and made plain that Missouri was still vulnerable to this kind of cavalry raid.