After the failed attack, Farragut chose to return toward open water and Davis also withdrew his ships. The flood was receding, and falling water threatened to trap deep-draft vessels upriver. This operational limit reduced the immediate pressure on Arkansas without any Confederate victory over the full Union force. The moment shows river conditions acting as a logistical deadline that shapes concentration, persistence, and command choices.
Notable Point · 40:37-41:01
Falling river levels force the Union fleets away
Farragut and Davis withdraw as the flood recedes, showing how river depth and seasonal timing constrain even the stronger fleet.