Battle of Prairie Grove Reenactment set for this Weekend (Dec. 4-5)

Prairie Grove Battlefield

The hugely popular reenactment of the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, will take place this weekend at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Northwest Arkansas.

The park is located on U.S. Highway 62 in Prairie Grove 12 miles west of Fayetteville and can be easily accessed from I-540 by taking the Farmington exit and traveling west on U.S. 62 to the battlefield.

Here is the basic information from the State Park Service:

The original Battle of Prairie Grove, fought on December 7, 1862, saw about 22,000 soldiers fighting most of the day, with about 2,700 killed, wounded, or missing. Every even-numbered year, Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park hosts a battle reenactment.

Borden House at Prairie Grove

During the weekend there will be many activities including tours through the Union, Confederate, and civilian camps, various military drills, cooking, spinning, and lace making demonstrations along with other living history programs. “Sutlers Row” features a number of vendors selling 19th century reproduction, books, and souvenirs.

The battle demonstration begins at 1 p.m. each day, featuring charges and counterattacks by Union and Confederate infantry and cavalry. The reenactment is held on the actual battlefield near the historic Borden House.
 
Admission: Free. Parking $5 per vehicle. 

You can read more about the original battle by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1. While there, be sure to follow the links at the bottom of the page to see official reports, eyewitness accounts, photographs of the battlefield and to learn more about related historic sites in the area.