February 2, 1862 - Curtis reported at Lebanon, Missouri

Gen. Samuel Curtis, U.S.A.
National Archives

As the initial movements of the Pea Ridge Campaign continued to take shape, a report datelined Rolla 150 years ago today indicated that Union General Samuel Curtis had reached Lebanon, Missouri.
Lebanon was a midpoint between the previous Union headquarters in Rolla and the position of Confederate General Sterling Price's Missouri State Guard in Springfield. The Union army was now reported to be within 55 miles of the latter city:

...Reliable information from Lebanon says that Gen. Curtis is now in that place, and the number of troops there is constantly increasing. It is doubtless his intention to remain at that place till all his forces arrive, which will be several days yet, as some of them have not started. A considerable number of them are under orders to march this morning, and probably within two or three days all that are going will have departed. - Unidentified Correspondent writing from Rolla, Missouri, February 2, 1862.

Rumors continued to drift north through Missouri that Price's command at Springfield had been reinforced by 12,000 Confederate troops from Arkansas. Some believed such reports, but the correspondent writing from Rolla on February 2nd noted that most did not.

A much bigger concern was caused by high water in the rivers flowing through Southwest Missouri. Flood conditions were causing delays in the movement of both supplies and men:

...The roads between this place [i.e. Rolla] and Lebanon are almost impassable. Fifty teams are said to be on this side of the Gasconade river, waiting for the water to subside.

The report concluded with a note that the main body of the Third Missouri Cavalry (U.S.) had reached Rolla. A couple of companies were still coming up. The regiment, it was noted, would be attached to the division of General Franz Sigel.

I will continue to post on the Pea Ridge Campaign over coming days and weeks, so be sure to check back often. You can read more about the Battle of Pea Ridge anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/pearidgeindex.

January 21, 1862 - Rumors in Rolla

Gen. Samuel Curtiss
National Archives

The  situation in Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri began to reach its critical point during the third week of January, 1862.
Union General Samuel Curtis still in Rolla, preparing to begin his final advance on Springfield and the Arkansas border, while Confederates in the region were still not ready for a major fight. Gen. Sterling Price was still in Springfield with the Missouri State Guard. "Old Pap," as he was called by his men, was still not a regular Confederate general, but held his rank only in his state's pro-secession militia.

Meanwhile, scouts and pro-Union citizens continued to flow into the Federal lines, bringing intelligence on the situation in Springfield and beyond. One such citizen arrived at the beginning of the third week of March with wide-ranging information on Confederate activity as far south as the Arkansas River Valley:

   ...[I]t was reported that 170 or 200 rebels were encamped at the head of Spring River, en route for Cassville.
   In regard to the number of troops in Northern Arkansas, he says he had it from good authority that there were only 500 or 600 at Cross Hollows and Cave Hill [i.e. Springs], Benton County. But a body of 5,000 men were at Tilsforth Bend, about 50 miles below Van Bergen [i.e. Van Buren], on the Arkansas river.
   Several secessionists told him that Price's forces at Springfield did not exceed 10,000.
   This gentleman met the scouts of the federal army beyond Lebanon, and other troops at different points this side. - Providence Evening Press, January 27, 1862.

Ozarks of Southwest Missouri

The report that the Missouri State Guard included 10,000 men or less was one of the first to accurately estimate Price's effective strength. Most previous reports had wildly exaggerated the strength of his force.

The citizen did, however, seriously under-estimate the number of Confederates then in Northwest Arkansas. The actual number was closer to 4,000 than the 500-600 he reported, with another few thousand Confederate cavalrymen just across the Boston Mountains in and around Van Buren and Fort Smith.

Such intelligence would continue to come in as both sides prepared for a campaign that would end in early March at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. I will continue posting on the campaign over coming weeks, so be sure to check back often. You can always learn more about the Battle of Pea Ridge at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/pearidgeindex.