December 8, 1862: Hindman withdraws into the mountains

Monument at Prairie Grove Battlefield
Formerly a chimney at Rhea's Mills

The Battle of Prairie Grove had ended in a bloody stalemate, but the Confederates knew they could not resume the fight with any hope of success (see yesterday's post, The Battle of Prairie Grove).
The fight had cost General Hindman about 10% of his 11,000 man army in killed, wounded or missing. While the bloody battle had cost the Confederates over 1,000 men, it had not so injured Hindman's army that it would not have been able to fight again. The problem was a logistical one. The Confederates simply did not have the ammunition and food they needed to fight another day.

Positioning his cavalry to protect his supply wagons and the key roads south, the general started his army south after dark and by midnight the infantry and artillery had left the field.

Entrance to Battlefield Trail at Prairie Grove

Dawn on December 8th found the Southern infantry already on the Cove Creek Road, marching south for Morrow's Station. Hindman and Blunt met on the field at Prairie Grove at 10 o'clock that morning to formalize an agreement for the care of the wounded of both sides and the protection of hospital trains, medical personnel and supplies for the wounded. At 12 noon, the conference complete, Hindman withdrew from the battlefield with the remainder of Marmaduke's cavalry division and rode out to join the main body of his army.

The general caught up with the rear of his infantry column at Morrow's Station after dark on the 8th and the next morning the march south continued without further incident.

Borden House and Cannon at Prairie Grove

The Union army moved up and occupied the ridge after Hindman left with the last of his cavalry at noon. To them fell the task of burying the dead, with assistance from a burial party of Confederate soldiers sent back by General Hindman. Bodies littered nearly three miles of the battlefield and the day was spent finding them and burying them.

Blunt, having taken possession of the battlefield after Hindman's departure, saw to the care of the wounded of both sides. Wounded men still on the field were collected and given what care the doctors of both sides could provide. Many would die over coming weeks and months.

The two commanding generals would engage in a war of words over coming days, firing letters back and forth, but the last real shots of the Battle of Prairie Grove had been sounded. The Confederates would never again seriously threaten the Union control of Northwest Arkansas.

Tomorrow, in the final post of this series, I will discuss what there is to see at some of the key sites of the Prairie Grove Campaign.

To learn more about the battle and the battlefield, please visit http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

December 7, 1862: The Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Borden House at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park

December 7th is remembered today as Pearl Harbor Day and today marks the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Before 1941, however, most Arkansans easily remembered December 7th as the anniversary of the Battle of Prairie Grove.
Both battles sent shockwaves through the Natural State and many promising young men gave their lives in the service of their counties.

The Battle of Prairie Grove developed as Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman successfully maneuvered his army around the Union force of Union Brigadier General James G. Blunt at Cane Hill (see yesterday's post: The Battle of Reed's Mountain).

Using Colonel J.C. Monroe's cavalry brigade to maintain the impression of a developing battle on the slopes of Reed's Mountain, Hindman marched his main army up the Cove Creek valley and emerged near Prairie Grove. Now on the main Fayetteville to Cane Hill road directly between Blunt and his approaching reinforcements under Brigadier General Francis J. Herron, the Confederate general turned his army toward Fayetteville hoping to destroy Herron before the two wings of the Union army could unite.

It was a good plan and might well have worked had Hindman's army been seasoned and even reasonably equipped and supplied. There was nothing he could do about that.

View of Prairie where Herron formed his men.

With his infantry pouring from the Cane Hill Road at Prairie Grove, Hindman send John S. Marmaduke's cavalry division across the nearby Illinois River and up the Fayetteville Road to find Herron. The Union general, in turn, was driving his men hard hoping to link up with Blunt before the Confederates could attack him at Cane Hill.

The two forces collided on the old Fayetteville Road. Colonel Jo Shelby's Missouri Brigade attacked, driving the Union cavalry back on the main body of Herron's command. Herron, in turn, came forward aggressively, pushing Shelby back to and over the river.

View of the Borden House from the Prairie.
(House is in trees atop the ridge at the center).

Realizing that the critical battle was underway, Hindman formed his infantry and artillery in a line that stretched for about three miles along the crest of the ridge at Prairie Grove. The men did not entrench, but used fences, trees, buildings and rocks as defenses. Herron moved his force across the Illinois River and formed his ranks in the wide open prairie below, his lines of soldiers, cannon and flags in clear and panoramic view of the Confederates on the ridge.

The primary battle opened with a massive artillery exchange. The ground shook for miles and the boom of nearly 50 pieces of artillery could be heard far in every direction. At Cane Hill, Blunt heard the cannon fire and knew he was in trouble. He quickly began to pull his force back from its isolated position there and marched along a roughly semi-circular route for Prairie Grove.

Borden House Orchard, where hundreds fell.

At 1 p.m., Herron made an open field assault on the Confederate right flank. Moving forward across open ground in clear view, with flags flying, the Federal troops hit the bottom of the ridge and surged up. The Confederates there waited until they were within 60 yards and then opened on them with a deadly sheet of fire. The attack was broken and the Union soldiers started withdrawing back onto the prairie.

The Confederates surged after them, storming down the ridge and right into the muzzles of Herron's massed cannon.  Driven back themselves, the Southern soldiers returned back up the ridge to their original position. Another Union attack followed, leading to heavy and bloody fighting around the Borden house and orchard on the ridge. A Union officer later estimated that 250 men were killed or wounded in the yard of the Borden house alone. The attack failed and the Federals withdrew back onto the prairie.

Western Overlook, where Blunt attacked.

As the afternoon continued, General Blunt reached the field with his force and took up a position on Herron's right, extending the Union line to match that of the Confederates. The battle continued with a fury unlike anything seen west of the Mississippi, with the possible exception of the fight earlier that year at Pea Ridge.  Hindman penned a vivid description a few weeks later:

...There was no place of shelter upon any portion of the field. Wounds were given and deaths inflicted by the enemy's artillery in the ranks of the reserves as well as in the front rank. During five hours, shell, solid shot, grape and canister, and storms of bullets swept the entire ground. Many gallant officers, and many soldiers equally brave fell dead or wounded, but their comrades stood as firm as iron. Volunteers maintained their reputation. Conscripts rose at once to the same standard, and splendidly refuted the slanders put upon them... Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman, C.S.A.


Blunt and Herron believed they were outnumbered, estimating the strength of Hindman's army as 28,000. The actual number was closer to 11,000. The two armies were actually very close in size, although the  Union had a vast superiority in artillery, supplies and small arms.

After a day of bloody fighting that saw attack and counter-attack along the entire length of the field, night finally field. Hindman was still in position on the ridge, while Blunt and Herron occupied the prairies and fields below. Neither army had been able to drive the other off and Blunt had escaped from his exposed position at Cane Hill. Hindman slipped away into the mountains that night, beginning his return to Van Buren and Fort Smith. His men were hungry and he did not have enough ammunition for a second day of fighting.

Although the numbers are estimates at best, the Confederates lost 164 killed, 817 wounded and 336 missing or captured. The Federals reported similar losses of 175 killed, 813 wounded and 264 missing or captured. The wounded from both sides were treated in makeshift hospitals both on the field and in nearby Fayetteville. Hundreds of them died from their wounds.

I will continue posting on the Prairie Grove Campaign tomorrow. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

December 5, 1862: Hindman moves into the Boston Mountains, Skirmishing Begins

Cove Creek Road

General Hindman's Confederate army left its bivouac at Oliver's store in northern Crawford County (see The March to Prairie Grove Continues...) on the morning of December 5th, 149 years ago today. The Battle of Prairie Grove was now only two days away.

As the infantrymen trudged north on the Cove Creek Road, which intersected with the Telegraph (Wire) Road at Oliver's, they knew a hard fight was coming. The urgency of the officers, the sudden move into the mountains, the rumors sweeping through the ranks all combined to create a buzz of both fear and anticipation among the men. They also knew enough of the country to know that the day's march would be a difficult one.

Hindman described the road taken by his force:

Old Road from Morrow's Station to Cane Hill

...[The road] turns to the left from the Telegraph road at Oliver's, 19 miles above Van Buren, follows the valley of Cove Creek to the foot of the mountains, and, after crossing, passes through a succession of defiles, valleys, and prairies, reaching Fayetteville from a southwesterly direction. At Morrow's, 15 miles above Oliver's, the Cove Creek road sends a branch direct to Newburg, 7 miles distant. - Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman, C.S.A., December 25, 1862.

As discussed in yesterday's post, the Morrow's mentioned here should not be confused with the modern community of Morrow (a few miles southwest of Cane Hill). There was a community called Morrow's in existence at that site in 1862, but the Morrow's referred to by Hindman was actually Morrow's Station, a stop on the Cove Creek Road. The community of Newburg mentioned in his report was one of the three villages located along the Cane Hill ridge.

Marmaduke's cavalry division was moving up into the mountains well ahead of Hindman's man force, scouting for any sign of Federal activity. He reported his strength by brigade as: Carroll's (under Col. J.C. Monroe), 500 effective men, Shelby's (under Col. Jo. Shelby), 1,100 effective men and MacDonald's (under Col. Emmett MacDonald), 700 effective men. This put the total Confederate cavalry strength at around 2,300 men.

Map showing key positions of Hindman's Advance
Click Map to Enlarge

The three cavalry brigades had been moving parallel to each other along the Cove Creek, Line and Telegraph Roads. Monroe crossed over on the 5th, however, and united with Shelby on the Cove Creek Road about 10 miles north of Oliver's. McDonald, meanwhile, continued to advance north from Oliver's store on the Telegraph (Wire) Road, watching for any sign of the enemy to Hindman's right.

Gen. John S. Marmaduke, C.S.A.

It did not take long for the Confederate horsemen to run into their Union counterparts. Federal cavalry was out picketing the Cove Creek and Telegraph Roads. The Southern cavalry pushed them and the Union pickets fell back ahead of them. As Shelby near Morrow's Station, however, he encountered a stronger Federal force and called a halt for the night.

Hindman had hoped to reach Morrow's with his infantry by the night of December 5, 1862. On paper this was a reasonable goal, as he estimated the distance from Oliver's store up the Cove Creek Road to that place to be around 15 miles, the standard day's march for an infantry force. The terrain, however, was much more difficult than he expected and his men were hungry, weak and unable to keep up the necessary pace. Instead of over-exerting them, he called a halt a few miles south of Morrow's and allowed his men to rest for the night.

The first heavy fighting of what would develop into the Battle of Prairie Grove would take place on Reed's Mountain between Morrow's Station and Cane Hill the next day.

I will continue posting on the Prairie Grove Campaign tomorrow. Until then, you can read more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

December 3, 1862: The March to Prairie Grove Begins

Crawford County Courthouse
Van Buren, Arkansas

On December 3, 1862, 149 years ago today, Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman began his march from Van Buren into the Boston Mountains. The move would reach its climactic moment four days later at the massive Battle of Prairie Grove.
Hindman's army consisted of the First Corps of what Confederate reports called the Trans-Mississippi Army. The column put in motion on the 3rd included roughly 9,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 22 pieces of field artillery. Supplies were limited and he did not have enough shoes or arms for all of his men and was forced to leave many behind.

Hindman's primary objective was Union Brigadier General James G. Blunt's force at Cane Hill. When Blunt had attacked and taken Cane Hill (now spelled Canehill) on December 28, he had placed himself in an advanced position far from the support of other Union troops under Brigadier General Francis J. Herron in southern Missouri. Hindman quickly recognized this opportunity and hoped to sweep across the mountains and destory Blunt before he could be reinforced:

Boston Mountains

...My intention was to attack Brigadier-General Blunt, on Cane Hill, reported to have between 7,000 and 8,000 men and 30 cannon. I expected... to return immediately after the engagement, having barely ammunition enough for one battle, and not sufficient subsistence and forage for seven days at half rations. These meager supplies had been accumulated with extreme difficulty by hauling in wagons of the general train and regiments 80 miles, my transportation being very limited, the country around me entirely exhausted, and the river two low for navigation. - Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman, December 25, 1862.

Hindman acknowledged at the time that his supply situation had become critical and he anticipated having to move his army to Little Rock soon. He felt for the security of the Arkansas River valley, however, that he needed to drive off Blunt before he went.

Marmaduke's cavalry division moved out ahead of the main force, leaving Dripping Springs with the main body of his horsemen on the Telegraph or Wire road that ran largely along ridge tops through the Boston Mountains. Smaller bodies of Confederate cavalry moved up parallel roads, scouting ahead of the infantry and artillery.

Van Buren, Arkansas
Confederate base in thePrairie Grove Campaign

To the west in the Cherokee Nation, Colonel Stand Watie was ordered to advance with his command to the community of Evansville on the Arkansas line. When he heard the sounds of battle, he was to move forward and, if possible, attack and take the enemy's supply wagons.

The main body then moved north on the Telegraph road from Van Buren, heading for the mountains. The column was long and the men were weak and hungry even before they started their march. As a result, the progress of the march was extremely slow. It would take three days for Hindman to emerge from the mountains at Prairie Grove, a distance that can be driven today by car in just a few minutes over an hour.

The move into the mountains was a bold gamble by Hindman, but one that had a good chance of working if he could put his army into position near Cane Hill before Blunt realized what was up. Destroying Blunt's command would open the door to all kinds of possibilities, the least of which would be the reoccupation of Northwest Arkansas by Confederate forces for the winter.  Hindman was careful not to give this as an objective, but the idea must have been on his mind.

I will continue to post on the Prairie Grove campaign over coming days, so be sure to check back regularly. Until the next post, you can read more about the Battle of Prairie Grove by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 30, 1862 - Confederate Cavalry returns to Dripping Springs

Dripping Springs, Arkansas

Having been pushed out of their advanced position in the fighting on the 28th (see The Battle of Cane Hill), General John S. Marmaduke and his three brigades of Confederate cavalry returned to their camps at Dripping Springs on November 30, 1862, 149 years ago today.
Located about 9 miles north of the historic Crawford County Courthouse in Van Buren, Dripping Springs takes its name from a spring that bubbles from a hillside. Because it allowed Confederate cavalry to watch the key roads leading south over the Boston Mountains to Van Buren and the Arkanasas River, the crossroads was a key position for the placement of Marmaduke's small division.

Gen. Thomas C. Hindman, C.S.A.

Across the mountains to the north, General James G. Blunt and his Union army settled into new camps at Cane Hill. Blunt did not know it, but his decision to remain at this point created a window of opportunity for the overall Confederate commander at Van Buren, General Thomas Hindman.

Hindman had enough ammunition for one good battle and only enough supplies to maintain his position at Van Buren and Fort Smith for a short time longer before he would be forced to move his command down the Arkansas River to Little Rock in order to obtain provisions and other necessities. He hoped to accomplish something significant before being forced to withdraw and was carefully watching the positioning of Union troops in Northwest Arkansas.

Van Buren and the Arkansas River
As seen from Logtown Hill

When Blunt established his new camp at Cane Hill instead of returning to Camp Babcock north of Siloam Springs, he placed himself almost beyond reach of reinforcements. Since Hindman knew he had little chance of prevailing if the Blunt's command was reinforced by General Francis J. Herron's division, then in southern Missouri, he was hoping for a chance to strike one of the two forces and destroy it before the other could reinforce it. Blunt provided him that opportunity and he began making immediate preparations to take advantage of it.

Over the next two days, the Confederate forces at Van Buren and Dripping Springs did everything they could to get their arms, supplies and horses ready for a move in force across the Boston Mountains. Hindman hoped to corner Blunt at Cane Hill and destroy him. Using ammunition captured in this battle, he could then turn on Herron's division as it came down from Missouri to save Blunt.

It was an interesting plan with a reasonable prospect of success.  It would lead seven days later to the massive Battle of Prairie Grove.

I will continue posting on the Prairie Grove Campaign over coming days, so be sure to check back regularly.  Until the next post, you can read more about the Battle of Prairie Grove at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 28, 1862: The Battle of Cane Hill, Arkansas

Historical Marker at Canehill, Arkansas

The first major fighting of the Prairie Grove Campaign took place 149 years ago today when Federal troops attacked three Confederate cavalry brigades at Cane Hill, Arkansas (now spelled Canehill).
Having advanced from his position at Camp Babcock north of Siloam Springs on November 27, 1862 (see An Attack in the Making), Union General James G. Blunt reached Cane Hill between 9 and 10 o'clock on the morning of the 28th. His force consisted of 5,000 men and 30 pieces of field artillery.

The Confederate force at Cane Hill was commanded by General John S. Marmaduke. Although Blunt reported that the Southern force numbered 8,000 men, the actual number was much smaller. The Confederates were severely outnumbered in terms of both men and artillery.

1880 Map of Cane Hill, Arkansas
The battle began near Cane Hill College at the top and
ended near Morrow's at the lower right.

The Battle of Cane Hill began when Blunt's forces attacked the Missouri brigade of Colonel "Fighting" Jo Shelby. These men were camped in the northernmost of the three villages along the Cane Hill ridge and although Shelby had been warned that the Federals were coming, he admitted that he was taken by surprise:

Having had due notice (eighteen hours previous) by the general commanding that the enemy were advancing, we endeavored to be on the alert, but I must confess (though it may reflect somewhat upon myself) that the enemy, by his skillful management, fell upon me sooner than I would have desired, considering that a portion of our division was encamped some distance in my rear and I had but little time to give them the notice required; yet I had sufficient time to place my men in their proper positions and await the coming of the hated foe. - Col. Joseph O. Shelby, Dec. 1, 1862.

Having pushed back Shelby's pickets in brisk skirmishing, Blunt moved up Captain John W. Rabb's Battery (2nd Indiana Light Artillery) along with the two light howitzers of the Second Kansas Cavalry. 

Site of Confederate Stand on Reed's Mountain

Each side later claimed that the other opened first. For the next hour or so, Shelby's two iron 6-pounders battled with the superior firepower of the Union guns. As this cannonade was underway, General Marmaduke came to the front and consulted with Shelby, who reported he had seen infantry supporting the Federal cannon. Viewing the situation in person, Marmaduke ordered Shelby to fall back to a high ridge 3/4's of a mile south where Colonel Emmett MacDonald had taken position with his cavalry brigade.

As the Confederates withdrew to their second position, the Federals followed and again formed for battle. After a sharp fight, the Southern forces again fell back to a previously identified third position.

This type of fight continued for the entire day. The outnumbered Confederates would take a good position, force the Federals to form lines of battle and bring forward their artillery and then, after a sharp encounter, fall back on yet another good position. The overall effect was that the Confederates were able to fight a slow retreat on ground of their own choosing throughout the day, instead of being routed from a single position by the much larger Union army.

The fight went back through the villages on Cane Hill and up and over Reed's Mountain into the Cove Creek valley.With darkness approaching and believing Marmaduke was now in full retreat, the Federals launched a direct cavalry attack down the Cove Creek road - and right into a trap.

Site of Ambush on Cove Creek Road

Taking advantage of a position where a steep bluff forced the road to run along a narrow strip or land or "funnel" between the rocks and the creek, the Confederates set up an ambush and the Union cavalry rode right into it:

The charge continued for about half a mile down the valley, to a point where it converged in a funnel shape, terminating in a narrow defile. At this point a large body of the enemy were in ambush in front and upon the flanks, where cavalry could not approach, with their battery also masked in front. As soon as the party we were pursuing had passed through the defile, they opened upon us a most destructive fire, which, for the moment, caused my men to recoil and give back, in spite of my own efforts and those of other officers to rally them... - Gen. James G. Blunt, Dec. 3, 1862.

A Confederate counterattack was driven back when officers - including General Blunt - were able to rally three companies of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry.

With darkness descending, the Battle of Cane Hill came to an end. The Confederates sent forward a flag of truce asking for a suspension of hostilities to remove their casualties from the field and the Federals agreed. Both sides took care of their wounded and during the night, Marmaduke and his cavalry slipped away into the Boston Mountains.

Casualties were fairly light considering the severity of the fighting and numbers of men involved, but this likely was the result of the nature of the fight with its constant stops and starts. I will look closer at the numbers in my next post.

The Battle of Cane Hill was a Union victory and as the day came to an end, Blunt and his men occupied the former Confederate positions. By winning the battle, however, he unwittingly played right into the hands of overall Confederate commander General Thomas C. Hindman, who was planning a much bigger operation.

To learn more about the Battle of Cane Hill, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ARCaneHill.

To learn more about the Battle of Prairie Grove, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 27, 1862: An Attack in the Making

College Road in Canehill, Arkansas

The news that the Confederate cavalry had crossed the Boston Mountains and occupied Cane Hill (see First Skirmish near Cane Hill), prompted the always aggressive Union General James G. Blunt into action.

Having sent out cavalry units on the 25th to skirmish with Confederate scouting units between his camp north of Siloam Springs and the Southern camps at Cane Hill, Blunt decided to attack. Even though he claimed in his reports that the Confederate cavalry numbered 8,000 men (the actual number was fewer than 3,000), the Union general organized an army of only 5,000 men to strike against them.

On November 27, 1862, 149 years ago today, the Federals moved out:

Gen. John S. Marmaduke, C.S.A.

Early on the morning of the 27th, I ordered all my transportation and commissary trains parked on Lindsey’s Prairie, and, after detailing a sufficient guard for its protection, I commenced my march, with about 5,000 men and thirty pieces of artillery, the men taking with them four days’ rations of hard bread and salt. The distance to be traveled to reach the enemy was 35 miles, of which 25 were made by 7 p.m. on the 27th, when the command bivouacked for the night. From that point I sent spies into the enemy’s camp, and learned that there pickets were strongly posted on the main road (on which I was advancing), and that it could be easily defended. - Brig. Gen. James G. Blunt, Dec. 3, 1862.

In the Confederate camps, meanwhile, General John S. Marmaduke knew that Federal troops were to the north in large force, but did not know they were on the move. His three brigades were not unified, but instead one was camped in each of the three large villages along the Cane Hill ridge. Although it was not really planned, this would allow him to fight a staggered or tiered defense the next day when Blunt attacked.

The Battle of Cane Hill would take place the next day and I will post about it tomorrow. To learn more in the meantime, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ARCaneHill.

The events were prelimaries of the coming Battle of Prairie Grove. You can read more about it anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 25, 1862: First Skirmish near Cane Hill

Bell Tower at Cane Hill College

Having occupied the three villages at Cane Hill on November 24, 1862 (see yesterday's post), General John S. Marmaduke pushed scouting parties of Confederate troops north up the roads leading from the community.
The purpose was to find out if any Union troops were in the immediate vicinity of the three small cavalry brigades that Marmaduke had brought across the Boston Mountains. It did not take long before at least one of these small forces collided with Federal cavalry that was moving in the same area.

Gen. James G. Blunt, U.S.

General James G. Blunt, commanding the Union division Bcamped about 30 miles north at Camp Babcock (near today's Siloam Springs), reported that his cavalry forces engaged a large Confederate reconnoitering force somewhere between his camp and Cane Hill on November 25th (149 years ago today).  His men, he reported, "scattered" the Confederate cavalry, which fell back on its support at Cane Hill.  Neither side reported any casualties in the encounter.

A more serious concern for the Confederates, but one unknown to Marmaduke, was the presence of Union spies at Cane Hill. The identities of these men were never made public, but they spent the 25th collecting information on the Confederate brigades information that would be relayed to the Union forces the next day.

The spies, based on Blunt's reports, were not the best. They estimated there were 8,000 or more Confederate cavalrymen camped at Cane Hill, when the actual number was roughly one-third of that estimate. They did, however, obtain good information on the disposition of the three Confederate brigades, intelligence that Blunt would use to plan his coming attack on Cane Hill.

The Confederates, meanwhile, were active behind enemy lines as well. In a report to his commanding officer in Missouri, Blunt reported that units of Southern cavalry were hovering along supply lines trying to interrupt the movement of his supply wagons down from Missouri.

I will continue posting on the Prairie Grove Campaign over coming days, so be sure to check back often through the holiday weekend. Until the next post, you can read more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 23, 1862: Reconnaissance toward Van Buren

Site of Confederate Camps
Dripping Springs, Arkansas

As the Confederate army of General Thomas Hindman continued its preparations for an advance into Northwest Arkansas, Federal forces made an unexpected probe of their advanced cavalry camps 149 years ago today.

Please click here to read the post of November 17th, detailing the activity underway in Van Buren).

Sent south across the Boston Mountains by Union General James G. Blunt, a force of 600 cavalrymen approached the camps of Confederate General John S. Marmaduke's cavalry command at Dripping Springs in Crawford County. Dripping Springs is about 9 miles north of the Crawford County Courthouse in downtown Van Buren. Using the twisting roads of the day, the distance was a little longer.

Cove Creek Road, used by Union Cavalry

The Federals approached the Confederate outer camps to scout the activities underway at Van Buren in an effort to learn the size and intent of the Confederate army.  There was some minor skirmishing near Dripping Springs. The approach of the Union cavalry was unexpected and the Southern horsemen fell back before them, unsure if the approach of Lt. Col. L.R. Jewell and his men marked the front of a full scale movement by the Federal army in Northwest Arkansas.  It did not.

When it became apparent that the Federals were not supported by infantry, Confederate resistance stiffened. Jewell now hesitated and, realizing the Confederates were present in Van Buren in force, began a withdrawal back into the mountains.

Pasture and Mountains at Dripping Springs

He and his horsemen returned back across the Boston Mountains during the afternoon and evening and reached Blunt's camps that night. Neither side reported any casualties.

The value of the reconnaissance is unclear. Jewell did not learn much about what was going on in Van Buren and even after his probe, Blunt still estimated the strength of Hindman's Confederate army at anywhere from 11,000 to 30,000 men.

The raid did lead, however, to the first fighting of the Prairie Grove campaign when Hindman ordered Marmaduke's cavalry to move north on the heels of the Union horsemen and take a position at Cane Hill in Washington County.

I will continue following the events of the Prairie Grove Campaign over the holiday weekend, so be sure to check back in occasionally. 

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

To learn more about the Battle of Prairie Grove, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ArkansasPG1.

November 26, 1862 - Marmaduke at Cane Hill, Arkansas

Canehill, Arkansas

It is interesting to note that it was 148 years ago tonight (November 26, 1862), that Confederate troops settled around campfires at Cane Hill, Arkansas, setting in motion the bloody Prairie Grove Campaign of 1862.

Cane Hill, now condensed to Canehill, was actually a series of small but important communities in the southwest corner of Washington County. Not only was it important for economic and agricultural reasons, Cane Hill was the point where key roads intersected after crossing over the rugged Boston Mountains from Van Buren, Fort Smith and the Arkansas River valley to the south. From there, a series of roads spread out to Fayetteville and other important locations across Northwest Arkansas.

Confederate Position at Canehill

Following the disintegration of Confederate defenses in western Arkansas after the Battle of Pea Ridge in March, Union forces had held virtually uncontested control of Washington and Benton Counties. Southern General Thomas Hindman had almost miraculously pulled together a new Confederate army, however, and by late November he was ready to attempt a strike of some sort before the arrival of winter brought an end to the possibility of active campaigning.

In anticipation of this, Hindman sent General John S. Marmaduke and his three small brigades of Confederate cavalry to occupy Cane Hill. After brief skirmishing on the 25th, this was achieved and by the evening of the 26th, Marmaduke was in position at Cane Hill. The movement set off a series of events that would lead to the bloody Battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862.

News of Marmaduke's presence at Cane Hill did not take long to reach Union General James G. Blunt, who was camped a day's march to the north with his brigade of the Federal Arm of the Frontier. Blunt immediately ordered his men to get ready to move.

I'll continue to post on the November 1862 events at Cane Hill tomorrow. Until then, you can read more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ARCaneHill.

Fort Smith during the Civil War

Following its seizure by the state militia in April of 1861, the post of Fort Smith and the adjacent community bearing its name entered one of the most turbulent periods of Arkansas history.

Confederate troops occupied Fort Smith for the first two years of the Civil War, using it as a supply depot and base of operations. It served as a point of refuge for Southern soldiers following the disastrous Pea Ridge Campaign in March of 1862 and was the center of General Thomas Hindman's efforts to build a new Army of the Trans-Mississippi later that year in anticipation of his Prairie Grove Campaign.

Thousands of men camped on the hills and prairies surrounding Fort Smith, while quartermasters and commissary officers did their best to obtain uniforms, shoes, weapons, ammunition and food for the soldiers.

Even after Hindman withdrew what remained of his army from the vicinity in December of 1862, Fort Smith remained in Southern hands. Finally during the final days of August 1863, however, the Union army of General James G. Blunt closed in on the fort from the west. After moving into position along the nearby Poteau River to block the Federal approach, Confederate General W.L. Cabell decided he could not hope to hold Blunt in check.

Withdrawing from the Poteau River position on the night of August 31, 1863, Cabell evacuated Fort Smith and moved his his command to protect the supply wagons as they lumbered south across the mountain roads to Waldron, Arkansas.

Sending a large force of cavalry to pursue Cabell, Blunt occupied Fort Smith. For the first time in more than two years, the Stars and Stripes flew again over the walls of Fort Smith.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ARFS5.

Over the Boston Mountains - December 27, 1862

The Union Army of the Frontier moved out from its camps at Prairie Grove and Cane Hill (now spelled Canehill) on the morning of December 27, 1862, 147 years ago today.

Well aware of the risks of trying to converge their entire force onto a single road and then move the resulting logjam over the Boston Mountains, which rise abruptly just south of Prairie Grove, Generals Blunt and Herron decided to cross the mountains by two separate routes.

Herron moved to the left via the Wire or Telegraph Road, which followed the old Butterfield Stage Line route over the mountains by staying primarily on the crests of the ridges. Much of this old road remains in use today and a portion can be hiked at Devil's Den State Park (shown above).

Blunt, meanwhile, move south via the Cove Creek Road, which follows the creek of that name south through the mountains. The original road crossed the winding creek nearly 40 times and as the soldiers marched on December 27th, they were forced to wade through the icy water over and over.

It had snowed the week before and there was still snow and ice in the mountains. Although the troops were in good spirits, the march was miserable. A member of Blunt's division wrote that water was high and the little streams that fed the creek and the creek itself were deep and fast. The icy water at the fords was often waist or chest deep. The soldiers were marching so fast and wading so much water that they did not have time to dry out and marched in sodden boots and wet clothes. It was also reported that it took as many as 12 horses to pull each of the army's 12 cannon over the mountains, sometimes with the assistance of as many as 50 men pulling on ropes.

By midnight on December 27th, the two wings of the army were approaching their planned bivouac at Oliver's Store, then a well-known landmark in northern Crawford County. Thus far the Confederate forces to the south had not detected the danger that was rapidly approaching via the mountains.

I'll continue to retrace the daily events of the raid tomorrow. Until then, you can read more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/vanburenbattle1. You can learn more about Devil's Den State Park at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ardevils1.

Battle of Honey Springs, Oklahoma - Part Two

This photograph shows all that remains of what was once a massive system of earthworks built by the Union army in 1863 to protect their base at Fort Gibson.

Called Fort Blunt, after General Blunt, by the Federals, the extensive earthen walls surrounded an extensive post area adjacent to the old Fort Gibson that had been built by the U.S. Army prior to the Trail of Tears.

Most of the vast fortification no longer exists, but this small section of earthwork can still be seen at the Oklahoma Historical Society's Fort Gibson Historic Site. The surviving earthworks are located down the hill from the Visitor's Center and were once part of the southwest wall of the irregular fort.

General Blunt was here when he learned that Cooper's force had taken up a position at Honey Springs Depot on the Texas Road. Cooper was waiting for the arrival of additional forces from Fort Smith under General Cabell before moving north in a campaign against the Federals at Fort Blunt. Deciding to strike before the two Confederate generals could unite their forces, Blunt moved out from his fortifications.

As our series continues tomorrow, we will look at the Confederate position at Honey Springs Depot. As the week goes along, we will also be launching our full site on the Battle of Honey Springs at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/honeysprings1.

Battle of Honey Springs, Oklahoma - Part One

On July 17, 1863, Union and Confederate forces engaged in a fierce battle along Elk Creek, a sluggish stream that flows through the Creek or Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma.

Sometimes called the "Gettysburg of the West," the engagement is known today as the Battle of Honey Springs or Elk Creek and was a dramatic Union victory that changed the course of the war in the West.

The battle took place when Union General James Blunt, suffering with fever, learned that a Confederate army was assembling at Honey Springs Depot on the Texas Road near present-day Checotah. Then at Fort Gibson (called Fort Blunt by Union forces), Blunt decided to strike the General Douglas H. Cooper's gathering Confederate force before the Southern general could move against his own command.

The result was one of the more dramatic rapid campaigns of the Civil War. Blunt moved 3,000 men and 12 pieces of artillery across the swollen Arkansas River, drove back Confederate pickets and slammed into Cooper's main force at Elk Creek.

The battle was unique because the forces of both sides were multi-racial in nature. Blunt's command included white, Native American and African American soldiers, while Cooper's force included both white and Native American troops.

As our series continues tomorrow, we will begin to retrace the Honey Springs campaign with a look at Blunt's command post at Fort Gibson (Blunt).