The Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas - Day Two

The ground across which the Union army attacked

The learn about the first day of the Battle of Pea Ridge, please click here: Day One, Part One.

The sun rose over the Pea Ridge battlefield on March 8, 1862, 150 years ago today, to find the Union army completing its 180 degree change of front and the Confederate army hungry, exhausted and low on ammunition:

...The sun rose above the horizon before our troops were all in position and yet the enemy had not renewed the attack. I was hardly ready to open fire on him, as the First and Second Divisions had not yet moved into position. Our troops that rested on their arms in the face of the enemy, seeing him in motion, could not brook delay, and the center, under Colonel Davis, opened fire. The enemy replied with terrible energy from new batteries and lines which had been prepared for us during the night. - Gen. Samuel Curtis, USA, April 1, 1862.

Col. Jefferson C. Davis, USA

The opening of the second day of the battle by the men of Colonel Jefferson C. Davis ignited an artillery duel for which the Union army was much better prepared. Curtis moved his batteries into position to create a crossfire that swept the Confederates with shot and shell from multiple directions.

The Southern batteries simply could not match the intensity of fire of the Federal guns. A portion of Van Dorn's army was positioned in the large rock and ravines of the mountain and the exploding shells shattered rock in all directions, inflicting gruesome injuries on these soldiers.

Curtis ordered forward his infantry in a staggered attack that began with the advance of his left:

Position from which the Union left wing attacked

...The left wing, advancing rapidly, soon began to ascend the mountain cliff, from which the artillery had driven most of the rebel force. The upward movement of the gallant Thirty-sixth Illinois, with its dark-blue line of men and its gleaming bayonets, steadily rose from base to summit, when it dashed forward into the forest, driving and scattering the rebels from these commanding heights. The Twelfth Missouri, far in dvance of others, rushes into the enemy's lines, bearing off a flag and two pieces of artillery. Everywhere our line moved forward and the foe as gradually withdrew. - Gen. Samuel Curtis, USA, April 1, 1862.

Telegraph Road, along which part of the Southern army retreated
NPS Photo

As the Federal lines of battle moved forward, the Confederate army disintegrated. In the words of General Curtis, "no force could have withstood our converging line and concentrated cross-fire."

Hungry, tired, out of ammunition, the Confederates realized the battle was lost. According to Van Dorn, he ordered a withdrawal from the field that was carried out orderly and with little pursuit. General Albert Pike, however, told a different story. Pike was not even informed that Van Dorn was leaving the field and went forward for orders to find that the Federal troops were 150 yards away and that the Confederate commander was long gone:

Gen. Albert Pike, CSA

Pike described a disorganized but unhurried retreat of streaming lines of troops from their positions on the main line of battle. The Arkansas general described riding among these men trying to keep them organized as much as possible. He began positioning troops to make a stand on level ground north of the battlefield, but as he moved to bring other men into line, he turned around to find that the line had evaporated and the men once again were moving north. He rushed to catch up with them and tried a second time:

...I rode again to the front and halted the leading battery at the foot of the next level, ordered it into line, facing the rear, gave the necessary commands myself, and had three guns brought into position. Two regiments of infantry were standing there in lines ranging up and down the valley, the flank of each to the enemy. I directed them to form in the rear of the batteries; but at this moment a shell was sent by the enemy up the road from the point of the hill around which we had just passed. The cry of "The cavalry are coming" was raised and everything became confusion. - Gen. Albert Pike, CSA, March 14, 1862.

Gen. Samuel Curtis, USA
Victor of Pea Ridge

Had Albert Pike not assumed command of the Confederate cavalry still on the field and ordered it into position to protect the retreating infantry and artillery, Van Dorn's army might well have been completely destroyed. His impromptu rear guard, however, confused and delayed the Federal pursuit long enough for most of the disorganized Confederate army to escape.

Other officers, particularly those of the Missouri State Guard, also fought delaying actions as the army retreated. It is worth noting that the 200 or so mounted men of Colonel Stand Watie's First Cherokee Rifles were among the last Confederate troops to leave the field.

The Battle of Pea Ridge ended in disaster for the Confederacy, 150 years ago today.

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

March 4, 1862 - The Confederates come down from the Mountains

Snow blankets Pea Ridge Battlefield (NPS Photo)

On the morning of March 4, 1862, 150 years ago today, Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn marched his Army of the West out of the Boston Mountains and onto the Ozark Plateau of Washington and Benton Counties, Arkansas.

As the Confederates moved out, Brigadier General James McIntosh's cavalry brigade was ordered to take the lead. This was a standard military move. The cavalry would move out ahead of the main body to clear the roads of any enemy pickets, to scout and to secure the route of march.

Part of this movement was spearheaded by Colonel Elkanah Greer and the Third Texas Cavalry. Organized at Dallas in June of 1861, the Third Texas was a seasoned regiment, having fought at Wilson's Creek, Chustenahlah and other actions:

The Boston Mountains

     At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 4th we left our encampment on Boston Mountains, my regiment going in advance.
     That night we encamped near Fayetteville. The day had been very cold, with quite a snow-storm during the morning.  - Col. E. Greer, Third Texas Cavalry, CSA, March 1862.

The Missouri State Guard, under Major General Sterling Price, stepped off in the wake of the cavalry from its camps near Cove Creek. Price later described how Van Dorn had ordered him to march with only three days rations and supplies:

Cove Creek Road

...That officer having arrived at Cove Creek and assumed command of the Confederate forces in Western Arkansas, I gladly placed myself and my army under his orders, and in obedience to these toop up the line of march in the direction of Bentonville on the morning of March 4, provided with three days' cooked rations, leaving my baggage and supply trains to follow slowly in the rear. - Gen. Sterling Price, CSA, March 22, 1862.

The total force under Price consisted of 6,818 men with eight batteries of field artillery. General Ben McCulloch marched with a similar size force, but due to his death in the coming battle did not file a report on his movements.

Gen. Earl Van Dorn, CSA

Brigadier General Albert Pike, meanwhile, had linked up with Colonel Stand Watie's First Cherokee Rifles at Cincinnati on the western border of Arkansas and on the 4th pushed on into Northwest Arkansas to link up with Van Dorn's army. 

The Confederate army was assembling for battle and, for one of the few times in a major battle during the war, would outnumber its opponent. The Battle of Pea Ridge was now three days away.

They day and night of March 4th were bitterly cold in the mountains and, as Colonel Greer later noted, heavy snow fell, particularly in the higher elevations. Van Dorn himself was sick with fever and had been with the army less than 24 hours, but insisted on the immediate advance.The weather, the terrain and his failure to properly organize his supply system would haunt him in the days to come.

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

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.

The Confederate Army in Northwest Arkansas - January 1862

Col. Louis Hebert
3rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment

January of 1862 (150 years ago) found Northwest Arkansas under the command of Colonel Louis Hebert of the 3rd Louisiana Infantry.

General Ben McCulloch had gone to Richmond leaving Hebert in charge of the small army of around 4,000 men in Northwest Arkansas. From his headquarters at Fayetteville, Hebert reported in January that his men were in winter quarters. His cavalry, he noted, was in bad condition due to sickness. Subsequent Union reports would indicate that he did a good job of overseeing the hospitals of his command and that they were well equipped with mattresses, etc.

To the north of Hebert, General Sterling Price still held Springfield but was growing extremely concerned about the advancing Federal forces of General Samuel Curtis. The Union commander was determined to drive Price out of Missouri and into Arkansas. A critical situation was developing in the Trans-Mississippi and everyone there knew it.

Headquarter's House
A surviving war era home in Fayetteville, Arkansas

According to Hebert, large wagon trains carrying supplies were moving north across the Boston Mountains from Fort Smith during January, supplies that were desperately needed by Price's "Missouri State Guard." Because of the condition of his cavalry, he asked Price to send mounted troops to escort the supply trains from Northwest Arkansas north to Springfield. He also notified Price that he was prepared to move to his support should the Federal army begin moving on Springfield from Rolla, Missouri.

The stage was being set for two great armies to meet on the Ozark Plateau at a place called Pea Ridge. Price and Hebert would figure prominently in the coming battle, as would the Union commander General Curtis. The fight was just seven weeks away.

I will continue posting on the events leading up to the Battle of Pea Ridge over coming days, so be sure to check back regularly. You can also learn more about the battle by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/pearidgeindex.