Alan Thompson of the Northwest Arkansas Civil War Heritage Trail organization tells me that the first of the interpretive panels for the new Cane Hill Battlefield Driving Tour should be ready any day now.
An important preliminary of the Battle of Prairie Grove, the Battle of Cane Hill was fought on November 28, 1862, when Union troops attacked a Confederate force camped at Cane Hill.
Actually a series of communities, Cane Hill was an important landmark in Northwest Arkansas at the time of the war and was a strategic objective for both sides because of the numerous road connections it offered.
The Northwest Arkansas Civil War Heritage Trail group has started an effort to establish a driving tour of the extensive battlefield. This is a noteworthy effort and will expand the public's opportunity to explore another major battlefield of the Civil War in Arkansas. With Pea Ridge National Military Park and Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, the new tour will bring to three the number of major battlefields that can be explored in Northwest Arkansas.
The effort is an expensive proposition. Each of the interpretive panels for the stops on the tour cost $1,500. If you are interested in supporting a worthwhile historic preservation effort, I strongly urge you to consider this one. As I've mentioned before, I am donating proceeds from my new book, The Battle of Massard Prairie, Arkansas, to the project. If you are interested in donating, you can contact Alan Thompson at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. Their number is 479-846-2990 or you can email the park at prairiegrove@arkansas.com and just put Attn: Alan Thompson in the heading.
If you would like to learn more about the Battle of Cane Hill, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ARCaneHill.
