Pea Ridge, AR
[Battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., by Kurz and Allison - Courtesy of Wikipedia]
Date(s):
March 6-8, 1862
Location:
Please click on link below for map.
Pea Ridge National Military Park, Arkansas, United States
Campaign(s):
Pea Ridge Campaign [1862]
Battles in
Campaign:
Situation:
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Union forces in Missouri had effectively
pushed Confederate units out of the state.
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By the spring of 1862 Union
General Samuel R. Curtis
determined to pursue the Confederates back into Arkansas with his Army of
the Southwest.
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Curtis moved his approximately 10,250 Union soldiers and 50
artillery pieces into Benton County, Arkansas, along a small stream called
Sugar Creek.
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Curtis found an excellent
defensive position on the north side of the creek and proceeded to fortify
it and place artillery for an expected Confederate assault from the south.
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Confederate Major
General Earl Van Dorn had been appointed overall commander
of the Trans-Mississippi District to moderate a conflict between competing
generals Sterling Price of
Missouri and Benjamin McCulloch
of Texas.
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Van Dorn's
Army of the West totaled approximately 16,000 men, including 800 Cherokee
Indian troops, Price's Missouri
State Guard, Texas Rangers, and Confederate infantry from Arkansas and
Louisiana.
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Van Dorn
was aware of the Union movements into Arkansas and was intent on
destroying Curtis's Army of the
Southwest and reopening the gateway into Missouri.
Commanders:
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Union: Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis
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Confederate:
Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn
Principal Forces:
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Union:
Army of the Southwest [11,000]
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Confederate: Army of the West
[14,000]
Description:
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On the night of March 6, Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn set out
to outflank the Union position near Pea Ridge, dividing his army into two
columns.
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Learning of Van Dorn’s approach, the Federals marched north to
meet his advance on March 7.
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This movement—compounded by the killing of
two generals, Brig. Gen. Ben
McCulloch and
Brig. Gen. James McQueen McIntosh,
and the capture of their ranking colonel—halted the Rebel attack.
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Van Dorn
led a second column to meet the Federals in the Elkhorn Tavern and Tanyard area.
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By nightfall, the Confederates controlled Elkhorn Tavern and Telegraph Road.
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The next day, Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis,
having regrouped and consolidated his army, counterattacked near the tavern
and, by successfully employing his artillery, slowly forced the Rebels back.
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Running short of ammunition, Van Dorn
abandoned the battlefield.
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The Union controlled Missouri for the next two years.
Photo Gallery:1
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Pea Ridge National Battlefield
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Site of Leetown
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Park Map Showing Positions on the Morning of March 7th at Leetown
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Park Map Showing Positions on the Afternoon of March 7th at Leetown
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Confederate Line at Leetown
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Painting of Fighting at Elkhorn Tavern
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Elkhorn Tavern
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Elkhorn Tavern
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Elkhorn Tavern
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Elkhorn Tavern
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In back of Elkhorn Tavern
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Monument to Gen. Ben McCulloch of Texas
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Monument to Maj. Gen. E. Van Doren and Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis
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Monument to Maj. Gen. E. Van Doren and Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis
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Monument to Maj. Gen. E. Van Doren and Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis
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Tull's Missouri Battery
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Tull's Missouri Battery
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Union Artillery
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Classification2:
A
Casualties3:
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Union:
1,349
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Confederate: 4,600
Results:
 Union
Victory
Battlefield Websites:
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Pea Ridge
- HistoryAnimated.com Flash Presentation
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Recommended
Resources:
1 Please click on the image to
enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link
with each image: "Courtesy of
civil-war-journeys.org."
2
Classification:
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A
- having a decisive influence on a
campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war
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B -
having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign
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C -
having observable influence on the
outcome of a campaign
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D
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having a limited influence on the
outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important
local objectives
3 Casualties are
someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.
Revised
06/05/2008 |
