Pea Ridge #13 - The Skirmish at Fayetteville, Arkansas

Headquarters House in Fayetteville

At 11:20 a.m. on February 23, 1864, 150 years ago today, a dispatch from General Alexander Asboth announced that his troops had just raised the U.S. flag over Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Ordered south from the Union army camps at Sugar Creek, Asboth hit Fayetteville, driving out Confederate pickets and riding with his troops into the center of town to find public buildings burning around him. A small force of Southern cavalry was found formed on the south side of town and even as his men raised the Stars and Stripes from the top of the Washington Courthouse, orders were given to the Third Iowa Cavalry to charge the lingering Confederates:

Gen. Alexander Asboth, USA

...All the troops were in the best spirits, and the Third Iowa Cavalry, forming the advance guard, behaved very well, dismounting at command to act as infantry in the bushes. Of the activity, zeal, and energy of Colonel Phelps I cannot speak to highly. - Gen. Alexander Asboth, USA, February 23, 1862.

Casualties in the Skirmish at Fayetteville were light. One Union soldier was wounded, while one Confederate was killed and two others wounded (one thought to be mortal).

Another View of Headquarters House

As he consolidated his position in town, Asboth set up his headquarters at the home of Judge Jonas March Tebbetts. The home, now the Headquarters House Museum, still stands in Fayetteville. Built in 1853, the house is one of the few good examples of Greek Revival architecture left in Northwest Arkansas. It is located at 118 East Dickson Street in Fayetteville and is owned by the Washington County Historical Society. 

Legend holds that Asboth displayed his famed sweet tooth while in residence at the Tebbetts' House. A jar of preserves supposedly was set out for everyone at the table to enjoy but he ate them all himself.

Gen. Alexander Asboth, USA

The occupation of Fayetteville was welcomed by the Unionist citizens, but many of those who favored secession left with the Confederate troops. To those who remained, Asboth issued a printed declaration on the same afternoon:

...I have occupied your town to arrest the wanton destruction of public and private property already inaugurated by the Confederate troops; to sustain those of its inhabitants who have been faithful to the laws; to encourage all who may have been faithful to the laws; to encourage all who may have temporarily wavered in their duty under the threats of bad and designing men, and to establish the law and order essential to the public weal. While, therefore, calling upon the loyal citizens of this town to aid me in the furtherance and accomplishment of these objects, I at the same time offer to all who may have faltered in their fealty, but who shall now truthfully declare their allegiance to the laws of the Union, the protection of its flag. Deserted fire-sides cannot be guarded, but every house containing a living soul shall of the protection of our power. None, therefore, should depart. Those absent should return. - General Alexander Asboth, USA, February 23, 1864.

The first Union occupation of Fayetteville would be relatively brief, but for the moment symbolized that Union troops had driven all significant Confederate forces out of Northwest Arkansas and into the Boston Mountains to the south.

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

The Battle of Fayetteville, Arkansas - Part Five

The failure of Monroe's charge to break the Union lines convinced Gen. Cabell that he would not be able to take Fayetteville.

Consequently, he begin to pull his command back. Heavy firing continued between the two sides According to Union reports, the Confederate center continued to maintain its position while Cabell withdrew both wings and his artillery.

By 12 noon, however, the entire force withdrew from the battlefield and, other than some light skirmishing, the Battle of Fayetteville was over. Critically short of horses for his cavalry, Col. Harrison made no attempt to pursue Cabell and the Confederates passed back over the mountains to Ozark with no difficulty.

Precise casualties from the battle are difficult to determine. On the Union side, Harrison reported 4 killed, 26 wounded, 4 captured and 35 missing in action. Some of the wounded died from their injuries over the following day, so the final number of killed grew somewhat. Most of the missing had actually been taken prisoner by the Confederates. Cabell reported that he captured one lieutenant, one non-commissioned officer and 24 privates, but paroled them all before returning to Ozark.

Confederate losses were not reported with certainty by Cabell, who estimated that his casualty list would not exceed 20 killed, 30 wounded and 20 missing. This number was consistent with Harrison's estimate that the Southern troops lost around 20 killed and 50 wounded.

The Southern dead from the battle are buried at Confederate Cemetery in Fayetteville, a beautiful plot on the lower slopes of Mt. Sequoyah overlooking the battlefield. The Union dead rest at Fayetteville National Cemetery. The Headquarters House, which served as both Harrison's headquarters and the center of the Union line of battle, is now a museum. Located on East Dickson Street, the house can be toured by appointment through the Washington County Historical Society. You can visit their website by clicking here.

This concludes our series on the Battle of Fayetteville. To read more about the battle and see additional photographs of the battlefield, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/battleoffayetteville.

The Battle of Fayetteville, Arkansas - Part Two

The Confederates rode north from Ozark into the mountains following a path then known as the Mulberry and Frog Bayou Road.

Parts of this road followed the same general path as today's Pig Trail Scenic Byway (so named because it is a popular route for fans on their way to see Arkansas Razorbacks' football games). The road leads through particularly spectacular scenery including mountains, rocks, streams and waterfalls. The lightly flowing falls seen here are Pig Trail Falls.

It took two days for the Confederates to cross the mountains, but by the night of April 17th, they were on the outskirts of Fayetteville and so far the Federals had no idea they were coming.

The attack struck at 5 a.m. on the morning of April 18, 1863. Coming in on the Huntsville Road (a modern city street still bears that name), the Confederates overran a Union picket post and swarmed up into the ravine or small valley dividing the downtown area from East Mountain (today's Mt. Sequoyah).

The Federals did not know that danger was present until they heard the gunfire from the attack on the picket post. Col. Harrison reported that he could hear the Southern troops coming with "wild and deafening shouts."

His troops reacted well to the emergency. The men of the 1st Arkansas U.S. Infantry quickly formed on their parade ground, which lay in the downtown area south of Dickson Street and west of College Avenue. Falling back ahead of the oncoming Confederates, the infantrymen rallied on the men of the 1st Arkansas U.S. Cavalry, who were forming into line.

Because his infantry men had not yet received their uniforms, Harrison was concerned that they might fall victim to friendly fire. As a result he sent most of them to the rear to a sheltered position behind the hill on Maple Street. Seven companies were placed in this position.

The remaining three infantry companies were formed into a line with four companies from the 1st Arkansas Cavalry around the Tebbetts or Headquarters House on East Dickson. These units formed the center of the Union line of battle. To their right was positioned the cavalry battalion of Major Ezra Fitch and to their left was posted the cavalry battalion of Lt. Col. A.W. Bishop.

Thus formed, the Union line stretched from southwest to northeast from about the intersection of Block Street and Meadow Street across the primary intersection of Dickson and College Avenue, across the grounds of the Headquarters House and on off into the open fields (now residential areas) to the northeast.

Our series on the Battle of Fayetteville will continue. Until the next post, you can read more by visiting our new Battle of Fayetteville pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/battleoffayetteville.

Coming Tomorrow - The Battle of Fayetteville, Arkansas

Beginning tomorrow I will start a new series on the Battle of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

This engagement took place on April 18, 1863 when Confederate forces under Gen. W. L . Cabell swept down from East Mountain and attacked the Union forces of Col. M. LaRue Harrison in the heart of downtown Fayetteville.

The structure shown here, the Tebbetts or "Headquarters" House, faced some of the heaviest fighting of the battle and bears scars from the engagement to this day.

Check back starting tomorrow to learn more about the Battle of Fayetteville.

Headquarters House - Fayetteville, Arkansas

This is the Headquarters House in Fayetteville, a major Civil War landmark in Northwest Arkansas.

Constructed in the 1840s by Judge Jonas Tebbetts, the house stood across the street from the old Arkansas College. Following a skirmish fought in Fayetteville during the days leading up to the Battle of Pea Ridge, the home was briefly occupied by Union General Alexander Asboth. A young girl then living there wrote of his massive drooping mustache and enormous sweet tooth (he ate an entire jar of preserves in one sitting).

One year later, on April 18, 1863, the home was in the line of fire during the Battle of Fayetteville. Union officers made their headquarters here and the Union lines were formed directly in front of the house. Colonel M. LaRue Harrison of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry (U.S.) commanded the Federal ranks during the battle and was able to turn back a Confederate attack led by General W.L. Cabell.

The house still shows damage sustained during the battle. Panels on two doors were shattered by bullets.

Located at 118 East Dickson in downtown Fayetteville, the home and grounds are now preserved and a museum by the Washington County Historical Society. The society is open on Wednesday afternoons from 1 until 4 p.m.