In March and April 1864, Shelby's men harassed and skirmished with the Union Army force under the command of Major General Frederick Steele during his Camden Expedition, part of the Red River Campaign. Gordon led more than one charge against the Union forces during Steele's march from Little Rock to Camden, Arkansas. On April 25, 1864, Gordon led his regiment at the Battle of Marks' Mills where they captured two Union artillery pieces from the detachment of Union Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Drake when Shelby's force attacked the Union left wing of the detachment which had been sent from Camden toward Pine Bluff, Arkansas to obtained supplies for Steele's force which was increasingly besieged by gathering Confederate forces at Camden. The Confederates outnumbered the Union force at Marks' Mills by more than 2 to 1 and overwhelmed it, taking about 1,300 prisoners and about 240 wagons. The overall commander of the Confederate cavalry force at Marks' Mills, Brigadier General James Fagan, led the Confederates, including Shelby's command, toward Pine Bluff in an effort to capture the Union supply depot. The Confederates did not make it to Pine Bluff due to flooding. They also did not return fast enough to cut off Steele's return march to Little Rock or to participate in the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, the one big engagement during the retreat before the Union troops escaped across the swollen Saline River.